The Basics
Score: Evangel 82, Sterling 83
Location: Sterling, Kan. (Gleason Center)Â
Records: Evangel (10-10, 8-6), Sterling (13-7, 9-5)Â
Box ScoreÂ
STERLING, Kan. -- Evangel Women's Basketball resumed their road trip on Saturday (Jan. 25) afternoon, traveling to central Kansas to take on the Sterling College Warriors in a matchup between two teams deadlocked at fifth in the conference standings. A furious comeback attempt in the final three and a half minutes of play came up just short for the Valor, as EU fell, 82-83, on Saturday.
Both Evangel and Sterling played a high scoring first quarter, as both teams scored at least 20 points in the quarter. The Valor jumped out to an early 5-0 lead on a basket from Kamie Jenkins and three pointer from Carson Dillard before Sterling scored five straight to tie the game. Another Dillard three pointer gave EU back the lead, before Alyssa McCarty scored a pair of shots from long range, pushing the Valor out to a 14-9 lead. Sterling again tied the game up at 14 points before both teams traded baskets to the end of the quarter, with a three pointer at the buzzer for Sterling proving to be the difference as EU trailed, 20-21, heading into the second period.
The second quarter proved to be as tightly contested as the first, with neither team able to take much of a lead in the period. Sterling led by four points before an Alyssa McCarty basket and three pointer from Emily Recker gave the Valor a one point lead. Back and forth baskets saw Evangel take a four point lead, 36-32, after a three pointer from Lydia Babirye and jumper from Micah Clayton. Sterling closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to lead the Valor, 36-38, at the halftime break.
Both teams played a close start to the third quarter, as Evangel again was able to push out to a four point lead, 46-42, using a pair of baskets from Jenkins and one from Dillard to take the advantage. A 9-0 Sterling run gave the Warriors a 46-51 lead that Evangel could not answer in the quarter, as the home team took a 52-64 advantage into the final quarter of play.
Evangel did not back down in the final quarter of play, fighting to try and cut down the Sterling lead. A three pointer from Ali Kamies paired with a layup from Clayton made it just a seven point deficit, 57-64, but the Valor offense grew stagnant during a scoreless period from the Warriors. Consistent baskets from Sterling gave the Warriors as much as a 13-point lead in the quarter with 3:44 remaining. Despite EU trailing, the Valor continued to show grit and determination, using baskets from Kamies and Clayton as well as turnovers from Sterling to draw within four points, 73-77, with 59 seconds remaining in the game. After the Valor earned a stop with a Jazzy Kirby block on the ensuing possession, Kamies nailed a pair of free throws to draw EU within two points, 75-77, with 24.4 seconds remaining. Forced to foul, Sterling was able to make a pair of free throws before Clayton scored another layup to keep it at a two point game with 12.4 seconds left. Sterling again buried a pair of free throws, but again Evangel had an answer, getting a jumper from Dillard to make it again a two point deficit, 79-81, with 9.7 remaining. The Warriors again buried a pair of free throws and Dillard was able to nail a volleyball line three pointer at the end, but the fight was too late, as EU fell, 82-83.
QUOTABLEÂ
"Tough fight today. The team played hard with great effort. It was the effort we need to bottle continuing forward," stated Head Coach Jim Middleton. "There were simply some individual mental lapses today that created the final score. We will bounce back!"
NOTABLEÂ
UP NEXTÂ
Evangel concludes their road trip on Wednesday (Jan. 29) evening, taking on the Ottawa Braves in Ottawa, Kan., at 5:30 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. Â
—#OneValor—
