The Basics

Score: Evangel 58, MidAmerica Nazarene 81

Location: Olathe, Kan. (Cook Center) 

Records: Evangel (13-13, 12-9), MidAmerica Nazarene (19-7, 16-5) 

Box Score 

OLATHE, Kan. -- After another come from behind victory on Saturday for the Valor Women's Basketball team, Evangel hit the road to take on the MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers, looking to complete the season sweep after taking the win earlier in the season. Despite a strong second quarter, the Valor could not overcome a big run for the Pioneers in the third quarter, falling 81-58 on the road.

Evangel struggled to generate much offense in the first quarter of the match, scoring just nine points to MNU's 22 in the quarter. Lexi Berry scored Evangel's first basket and the first points of the night for either team, but a 10-0 run over the following two and a half minutes for the Pioneers helped push the home team out to an early 10-2 lead. Alexis Cauthon and Alexis Roach answered the 10-0 run with baskets of their own, but MNU was able to control the paint in the first quarter, as several passes underneath the basket resulted in turnovers. Paiton Acord scored Evangel's final points of the quarter on a jumper, as Evangel trailed 22-9 heading into the second quarter.

The Valor used a strong second quarter to try and push to make a comeback. With 8:59 remaining in the first half, MNU scored a basket to take an 18 point lead, their largest of the first half. At this point, Evangel's offense began to heat up. A 9-0 Evangel run consisting of baskets from four different Valor athletes pushed EU to just a nine point deficit. The Pioneers were able to get back to a double digit lead with 3:18 remaining, but the Valor found another strong 9-0 run, capped off by an Acord jumper in the final seconds of the half to make it just a 33-28 deficit heading into the halftime break.

MNU opened the first half of the third quarter on a 13-4 run, reestablishing the double digit lead they had for the majority of the first half. With under five minutes remaining in the quarter, Emma Mullings hit a three and a jumper to draw Evangel closer and a Sadie Chisum layup put EU down by just seven points, 47-40. The seven point deficit would be the closest Evangel came to the Pioneers for the remainder of the game as MNU closed the quarter out on a 7-0 run, taking a 54-40 lead into the final quarter.

Evangel was scoreless for the first 2:42 of the final quarter as MNU went on a 12-0 run during the offensive drought. A Kate Gilbert jumper put EU on the board in the fourth quarter and was followed by scoring from Lyla Watson, Cauthon, and Gilbert to narrow the MNU lead to 20 points, 71-51. Evangel was able to add points from Amya Bonds and Kohnnar Patton, but fell short in the end, 81-58.

NOTABLE 

• Acord led the Valor in points with nine in the loss.

• Evangel struggled shooting against MNU, hitting just 36.5 percent of their shots.

• The Valor finished with more turnovers than the Pioneers, 23-19.

• Clayton pulled down a team high seven rebounds.

• The Valor won the rebounding battle, 43-37.

NEXT UP 

Evangel will compete in their regular season finale on Saturday (Feb. 17) morning at 11:00 a.m. against the Mount Mercy Mustangs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

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—