HILLSBORO, Kan. (TaborBluejays.com) – The Tabor College Gymnasium was filled with a sea of fans dressed in white on Thursday evening as the Lady Bluejays kicked off the first round of the KCAC tournament, taking on the No. 7 ranked Bethany Swedes.
Having split their series with Bethany in the regular season, Tabor aimed to refine their skills and create a fresh game plan that allowed them to take control of the game early. Bethany was the first to score, although both teams went back-and-forth throughout the first quarter.
Early in the second, a three-pointer by Kassidy Beam tied the game at 11-11 as the Bluejays continued to work hard up and down the court. Hailey Contreras and Miyah McGee began to stand out, making crucial plays on offense and forcing important turnovers on defense. Alyvia Owens continues to be disciplined at the free throw line this season, as she sank important shots that assisted in the Bluejays’ 10-point lead going into the half.
Tabor maintained their intensity in the second half, with Kloe Bowin and Madie McCoy sinking successful shots in the paint early on. Kylie Dunn and Janae Black-Harmon were efficient in keeping the Swedes in the game, each reaching double figures on the evening. McCoy shot 100% in the third quarter, sinking a three-pointer as well as a few key jump shots.
Lillie Veer contributed to the Bluejay lead heavily in the fourth quarter as they extended the gap to 11. Veer scored eight of her 10 points in the fourth quarter alone and the Bluejays showed no signs of slowing down. Six Bluejays secured seven points or more, showcasing the impressive depth of the Tabor offense. As the clock expired, Tabor secured a 60-47 victory over the Swedes and claimed their spot in Saturday’s KCAC Semifinal game.
The Lady Bluejays’ defense played a huge role in their win, holding Bethany to just 34.7% shooting from the field and 18.2% from beyond the arc. The Swedes made 11-16 free throws, shooting 68.8% from the line. Turnovers were detrimental for the Swedes as they recorded 13 on the evening.
Tabor posted a 43.5% field goal percentage and excelled at the free-throw line, sinking 18 of 20 attempts for an impressive 90.0% accuracy on the night. McGee played an outstanding game for the Bluejays, leading the team in scoring (13 points) and recording five defensive rebounds, two assists, and one steal. She shot 50.0% from the field and made 5-6 free throws in crucial moments throughout the game.
Veer and Bowin followed McGee, each recording 10 points and putting up a combined seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Veer shot 100% on the evening, going 3-3 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line. Owens secured nine points of her own, two steals, and seven defensive rebounds throughout the game.
“It was a tremendous win for our team over a talented and experienced Bethany squad,” exclaimed Head Coach Shawn Reed. “Our staff felt our defensive effort and discipline was the difference in our team earning this victory. In particular, our execution in the second quarter was outstanding.”
“Madie did an excellent job guarding Jaden Newfarmer! Newfarmer is a tremendous player and to hold her to six points on 1 of 11 shooting from the floor is impressive. To hold Bethany to 34.7% from the floor and 18.2% from behind the three-point line was a huge achievement and factor in our victory! It was an outstanding defensive performance by our team.”
“Offensively, we didn’t shoot the ball as well from behind the three-point arc as we are capable, but we had good production in the paint and mid-range and we shot extremely well at the free-throw line. Both Kloe and Alyvia had solid games inside. They both garnered a lot of attention in the paint, and they made free-throws and rebounded well.”
“Our starting guards were really efficient, and I thought Hailey provided some productivity off the bench. Adrian made some important hustle plays for us that don’t show up on the stat sheet but were crucial.”
“We now face a Sterling team who boasts the KCAC Player of the Year and leads our conference in scoring and team field goal percentage. Sterling can score points in bunches, and they put a lot of pressure on the rim. It will take a focused, consistent and complete effort by our team on Saturday in order to compete with a seasoned and talented Sterling squad.”
With this victory, Tabor advances to the Semifinal round, where they will host the No. 6 seed Sterling College on Saturday evening. The Warriors pulled off a 34-point upset against No. 3 Evangel on Thursday, setting up a much-anticipated second meeting between the Bluejays and the Warriors this season. Tip-off is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Tabor College Gymnasium.
Be sure to stay up to date with all information regarding Bluejay Athletics by following us on X at @gotaborbluejays, on Instagram and Facebook @taborbluejays, and on our official athletic website, taborbluejays.com.
Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).
