Cold Shooting Costs Lady Cougars in Loss to No. 10 Bethel


	Lady Cougar Basketball Game Recap Cold Shooting Costs Lady Cougars in Loss to No. 10 Bethel written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director Game Boxscore MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (1-3-2012) - The Mount Vernon Nazarene University women's basketball team held NAIA Division II No. 10 Bethel (Ind.) College 14 points below its season scoring average, but the Lady Cougars shot just 25 percent from the field themselves as they fell 56-48 in Mid-Central College Conference action on Tuesday night in the Physical Education Center. After falling behind 4-0 to start the game, MVNU (9-5, 1-3 MCC) scored the next seven points to take a 7-4 lead by the 14:36 mark. Junior forward Emily Steveley scored four points, and senior forward Alexis Harkins *(left)* converted a three-point play opportunity for the Lady Cougars. Then, the Lady Pilots (12-3, 4-0 MCC), who entered the game ranked fifth in NAIA Division II in 3-pointers made, began connecting from long range as Kristen Hicks drained a pair of treys and Chelsea Ward and Chrissy Hooks each added a 3-pointer as Bethel took a 16-13 lead with 7:47 left before the break. Neither team scored again for nearly four minutes as MVNU used free throws by sophomore post Amy Daniels to knot the score at 16-16 with 2:40 still to go in the half. The Lady Pilots finally hit their first field goal attempt inside the arc at the 1:43 mark after going 0-for-8 up to that point, but five points by junior guard Melissa Eickholt including the Lady Cougars' only 3-pointer of the first half with four seconds to go gave MVNU a 21-20 advantage as the teams went to the locker room at the break. Steveley led the Lady Cougars with six first-half points, while Eickholt added five points. MVNU shot just 25 percent from the field (7-for-28), 14.3 percent from 3-point range (1-for-7), and 85.7 percent from the free throw line (6-for-7). The Lady Cougars did manage to out-rebound Bethel 24-15. Hicks led the Lady Pilots with 12 first-half points as she went 3-for-4 from beyond the 3-point arc. Bethel shot 30.4 percent from the field (7-for-23), 41.7 percent from 3-point range (5-for-12), and 25 percent from the free throw line (1-for-4). MVNU opened the second half with a pair of free throws by Harkins and a 3-pointer by senior post Whitney Levering as the Lady Cougars took their biggest lead of the game at 26-20 just 85 seconds into the final period. However, the lead was short-lived as the Lady Pilots rattled off seven straight points to go back on top 27-26 by the 15:50 mark and then used a 22-12 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 49-38 with 4:44 left in regulation. MVNU closed the gap to 50-44 with 2:06 remaining after a pair of free throws by senior guard Sierra Fletcher. Bethel went just 1-for-5 from the field and 0-for-5 at the free throw line over the next four minutes, but the Lady Cougars were only able to pull within 53-48 as they missed two free throws, committed a pair of turnovers, and one 3-point attempt. The Lady Pilots would then go on to hit their final three free throw attempts to close out the 56-48 victory. Harkins finished with 13 points and eight rebounds to lead MVNU, while Daniels added 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. Leverying also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go with five points, and Steveley tossed in eight points. The Lady Cougars shot just 25 percent from the field (15-for-60), 11.1 percent from 3-point range (2-for-18), and 80 percent at the free throw line (16-for-20). MVNU did hold a 50-35 advantage in rebounds. "We just did not get the job done tonight," said MVNU coach Jason Foster. "(Bethel) came out and did everything they needed to do and wanted to do to control this game. This was a hard lesson to learn at home that you must show up every night with the right focus and intensity to play in a top tier conference like the MCC. We will get back at it tomorrow and hopefully show something new on Thursday." Johnson and Hicks each scored 15 points apiece to pace Bethel as the duo combined to go 7-for-14 from 3-point range. Baysia Cox also tossed in eight points, and Georgia Boisse grabbed eight rebounds. The Lady Pilots shot 36.2 percent from the field (17-for-47), 44 percent from 3-point range (11-for-25), and 47.8 percent from the free throw line (11-for-23). MVNU will return to action on Thursday when the Lady Cougars travel to Huntington (Ind.) University for another MCC contest that will tip off at 7 p.m.

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