McPherson, Kan. – The Bulldogs were back at Holman Fieldhouse Wednesday for a matchup with the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes. McPherson aimed to improve to 2-0 in conference play after a win over Southwestern over the weekend, with Kansas Wesleyan aiming to do the same after their win over Ottawa.
The Basics
Location: Holman Fieldhouse
Score: MC 52, KWU 66
Records: MC 6-2 (KCAC 1-1), KWU 4-2 (KCAC 2-0)
How it Happened
The Bulldogs wouldn’t see points on the board until just after the seven-minute mark, when Dana Imankulova buried a three to pull McPherson even after an early triple by the Coyotes. The teams went into the first media timeout knotted at five, combining for just five made field goals. McPherson continued to struggle from the floor, shooting 15% in the quarter, but trailed by only one heading into the second frame as Kansas Wesleyan battled similar offensive issues.
Both teams traded threes to open the second quarter before Kansas Wesleyan nudged its lead to three. While the Bulldogs couldn’t quite find their rhythm offensively, they did shoot 50% from beyond the arc, with Maizen Gillam leading the charge with three triples. However, a pair of late threes by the Coyotes pushed the deficit to 29-22 going into the halftime break.
Kansas Wesleyan continued to pour it on, leading by as many as 18 before taking a 15-point advantage into the final frame. The Bulldogs managed 11 points in the third, shooting 31% from the field, and converting zero of their three attempts from deep – a steep drop-off after knocking down 50% of their threes in the first half. On the other end, the Coyotes put together their best offensive quarter of the night, shooting 44% from the floor and scoring a game-high 19 points in the period.
Amaree Henderson sparked one last push for McPherson, pouring in 14 points in the final quarter. The Bulldogs chipped away at the deficit, but Kansas Wesleyan always had an answer, and the Coyotes held on for a 66-52 win.
Henderson paced the Bulldogs offensively with her 14 points, while Gillam followed with 11. Raeghan Borman made her presence felt defensively, finishing with two steals, two defensive rebounds, and one block.
Up Next
McPherson will travel to Ottawa, Kansas to take on the Ottawa Braves for a Saturday night showdown. Tipoff is set for 1:00 PM.
