The Basics

Score: #15 Evangel 83, Sterling 73

Records: Evangel (24-2, 21-1), Sterling (17-11, 13-9)

Location: Sterling, Kan. (Gleason Center)

Box Score 

STERLING, Kan. – Evangel WBB competed in their regular season finale on Saturday (Feb. 21) evening in Sterling, Kan., taking on the Warriors of Sterling College. Despite trailing by as much as 17 points in the second quarter, Evangel rallied in the second half, out-scoring the Warriors by 27 points after trailing 31-14, taking a 83-73 win on Saturday.

Heaven Shockley and Ali Kamies did the bulk of the work in the first quarter, helping EU keep pace with Sterling early in the period, trailing 11-10. A 10-2 Sterling run over the final five minutes of the play in the quarter hurt the Valor, as Evangel trailed 21-12 at the end of the first quarter.

Sterling jumped out to as large as a 17-point advantage in the second quarter, 31-14, as the Valor offense could not score, forcing EU to have to dig deep and fight to get back into the game. Despite trailing by nearly 20 points, the Valor fought, using scoring from five different Evangel players to draw all the way back within three points at the halftime break, with Cassidy Hambelton nailing a three pointer for EU to trail, 37-34, heading into the third quarter.

Evangel scored a game high 30 points in the third quarter, out-scoring Sterling by nine points. Carson Dillard and Lydia Babirye helped lead the Valor in the period, as Dillard scored nine and Babirye added eight. A layup from Babirye closed scoring in the quarter for Evangel, but Sterling responded with a three pointer, as the Valor led 64-58 after three quarters of play.

Seven different Evangel athletes scored in the final quarter of play, as the Valor held Sterling to just 15 points in the period, the lowest scoring output for Sterling on Saturday. Alyssa McCarty closed out scoring with a free throw for Evangel, as EU came away with a 83-73 win on the road to close out the regular season.

QUOTABLE

"I'm incredibly proud of our team's fight today! I thought we had a great display of mental toughness," stated head coach Madi Wallace. "I'm so proud of this team and the things they've accomplished in the regular season. Onto the postseason!"

NOTABLE 

• Heaven Shockley led EU with 18 points in the win on Saturday.

• Cassidy Hambelton (13 pts.), Alyssa McCarty (13 pts.), Ali Kamies (13 pts.), Carson Dillard (11 pts.), and Lydia Babirye (10 pts.) rounded out double digit scoring on Saturday.

• Hambelton passed off a team high six assists in the win.

• McCarty pulled down nine rebounds in Saturday's contest to lead EU.

UP NEXT

The Evangel Women's Basketball team has captured the #1 overall seed in the KCAC Conference Tournament and will take on the #8-seeded Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 25) night in AGFinancial Arena. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Feb. 22) at noon.

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.