The Basics

Score: Evangel 69, Friends 79

Location: Springfield, Mo. (Ashcroft Center) 

Records: Evangel (10-6, 8-5), Friends (14-5, 11-2) 

Box Score 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Valor Women's Basketball played host to the Friends Falcons on Wednesday (Jan. 24) evening, looking to continue their strong play this season and to take down the third ranked team in the conference. Despite a strong first quarter of play, Evangel was out scored in the remaining quarters of Wednesday's match, falling to the Falcons, 69-79.

Carson Dillard set the offensive tempo for the Valor in the first quarter, netting a pair of threes to keep the Valor ahead of the Falcons. Despite Friends shooting 41 percent in the quarter, Evangel was able to out rebound the Falcons, generating additional possessions to take a 17-13 lead over Friends at the end of the quarter.

Evangel would not score as much in the second quarter, as Friends began to warm up from deep. A trio of three pointers in the quarter for the Falcons gave the visiting team a lead. A Dillard three was able to slow the Friends run, but the Falcons continued to score, resulting in a five point deficit at the half, 31-36.

Friends benefited greatly offensively in the third quarter, shooting 8-13 (61.5%) from the floor. EU also struggled to shoot in the third frame, hitting on just 36 percent of their shots. Kamie Jenkins had a strong quarter for EU, scoring 11 points and pulling down a pair of rebounds as the Valor trailed, 51-59, heading into the final frame.

Evangel hit four threes in the final quarter, but nearly every shot was countered with a Falcons basket. Despite increasing their shooting percentage in the final frame, Friends continued to also improve, matching Evangel in threes (4) and out scoring the Valor by two points in the quarter, as EU ultimately fell, 69-79, at home against Friends.

QUOTABLE 

"Hats off to Friends tonight. They were able to attack the rim well and we didn't have enough answers for that," stated Head Coach Jim Middleton. "Our players fought hard and competed but it's difficult to make extended runs on such a good team."

NOTABLE 

• Kamie Jenkins scored 17 points to lead Evangel in the loss, also pulling down 11 rebounds for her third consecutive double-double of the season.

• Carson Dillard and Micah Clayton rounded out double digit scoring for Evangel, scoring 15 and 12, respectively.

• Evangel shot just 38.2 percent from the floor on Wednesday, their seventh lowest shooting percentage of the year.

• The Valor outrebounded Friends, 38-35, in Wednesday's loss.

UP NEXT

Valor Women's Basketball continues their string of tough matchups, taking on the conference leaders, Tabor, on the road in Hillsboro, Kan., on Saturday (Jan. 27) afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

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—