The Basics
Final: (RV) Benedictine 67, Evangel 46 | Final Stats
Records: Evangel (5-7, 1-2); Benedictine (9-2, 2-1)
Site: Ashcroft Center

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Despite a valiant defensive effort that forced 28 Benedictine turnovers, the Evangel women's basketball team dropped a 67-46 Heart of America Athletic Conference decision to the Ravens Tuesday evening at the Ashcroft Center.

Led by Alleigh Kramer's 17 points, the Ravens seized control of the game with a late first-half run, then put the victory on ice by outscoring the Valor by a 17-2 margin over the final eight minutes of the contest.

Evangel gave the Ravens all they could handle throughout a back-and-forth first period, including a 7-0 scoring spurt that negated an early five-point Benedictine lead. Sophie Sparks came off the EU bench to knock down a pair of three-point tries, and the Valor defense held BC without a field goal for nearly six minutes.

But Kramer halted that dry spell with a three-pointer at the 1:16 mark to put the visitors in front, 15-14. Benedictine's defense turned in a strong first-half performance, holding EU to just 0.323 (10-of-31) shooting over the first 20 minutes. The Ravens also logged 10 takeaways, which they converted into a 19-5 advantage in points off of turnovers, despite the Valor forcing 15 BC turnovers.

After a Zoey Mullings three knotted the score at 20-20 early in the second period, the Ravens would take control by scoring eight of the next nine points. Aaliyah Raines drained a trey to start the run, and Skylar Washington capped it with a long-range jumper of her own.

Evangel battled back with three-straight buckets in the paint, pulling to within 28-27 on another Sparks field goal with 3:47 left in the period.

But the Ravens controlled the remainder of the half, outscoring the Valor 8-0 down the stretch to take a nine-point cushion into the locker room.

Evangel clawed its way back into the game in the third period, using a 7-0 run to slice the margin to 40-38 on a Logan Jones three-pointer with 4:21 to play in the quarter. Benedictine responded once more, this time riding Kramer's six points over the final 3:33 to extend its lead to 11 points.

The final quarter followed a similar pattern, with Evangel tallying the first five points on a Bayley Harman bucket and an Alexis Cauthon three-point play. Raines answered for the Ravens, connecting on another key triple, before Ali Brzozowski converted in the paint to push the BC advantage back into double-digits.

From there, it was all Benedictine, as Evangel hit on just 3-of-17 fourth-quarter field goals.

Sparks paced the Valor offense with 10 points and Mullings corralled a game-high 14 rebounds, but EU shot just 27-percent from the floor on the night.

LOOKING AHEAD
Evangel will travel to Olathe, Kan., to take on MidAmerica Nazarene in a 2 p.m., Heart Conference matchup Saturday (Dec. 11).

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.

—#OneValor—