McPherson, Kan. – The Bulldogs hosted the Ottawa University Braves on Saturday for a KCAC battle. McPherson headed into the contest looking to break their five-game losing streak, while Ottawa aimed to bounce back following a midweek overtime loss to Evangel.
The Basics
Location: Holman Fieldhouse
Score: MC 66, OU 87
Records: MC 8-14 (KCAC 3-13), OU 13-9 (KCAC 8-8)
How it Happened
Ottawa’s Kaelynn Duncan opened the scoring in the first quarter, but Margaret Ajayi quickly answered with a layup to even the score. The Braves followed with a shot from close range and a deep three-pointer to take the lead, one they would not relinquish for the remainder of the game. Maizen Gillam paced the Bulldogs offensively in the opening frame, scoring six points with a 50% rate from beyond the arc. McPherson shot 46% from the field in the quarter but trailed 13-11 heading into the second.
The Bulldogs’ offensive efficiency dipped in the second quarter as McPherson connected on just three shots and went 1-2 from the line. Ottawa capitalized on the other end, shooting 4-9 from deep and a perfect mark at the charity stripe. The Braves used the surge to stretch their advantage to 25, taking a 46-21 lead into halftime.
Gillam remained efficient from long range in the third, knocking down three of her four attempts for nine points in the period. Four additional Bulldogs chipped in two points each, as McPherson totaled 17 points in the frame. Ottawa continued to spread the scoring load with six different players finding the scoresheet. McKinley Kruger led the way with seven points, followed by Molly Martin with six, as the Braves closed the quarter on a strong run to carry a 30-point lead into the final frame.
McPherson opened the fourth with the first three points after Gillam went 3-3 from the free throw line. The teams traded baskets before Ottawa rattled off a 6-0 run to extend its lead to a game-high 35. The Bulldogs responded with 18 points over the final four minutes, finishing the quarter with 28 points, but the late push was not enough as the Braves secured an 87-66 victory.
Maizen Gillam recorded a career-high 29 points to go along with five assists and four rebounds. Margaret Ajayi added 10 points and eight rebounds in the Bulldogs’ effort.
Up Next
McPherson will be back at Holman Fieldhouse on Wednesday to host the Bethany College Swedes, with tipoff set for 6:00 PM.
