The Malone University women's basketball team earned a season sweep of Davis & Elkins College and secured a first-round bye in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament with a hard-fought 77-72 road victory over the Senators Thursday night. Led by sophomore guard Chrissie Vaughan's season-high 24 points, the Pioneers overcame a double-digit deficit to D&E for the second time this season to extend their winning streak to six straight. With the win, Malone improved to 18-6 on the season and 10-2 in G-MAC play.
 
In an up-tempo yet sloppy opening quarter, Malone committed five turnovers and shot just 23.5% (4-for-17), missing several open looks. Despite a slow start of their own, Davis & Elkins began to take advantage. After being down 7-5 through the first seven minutes, D&E rattled off 14-3 run and closed out the quarter up 19-10. The final basket of the frame, a fastbreak layup in the final seconds, came off another Pioneer turnover.
 
The Senators would stretch their lead even further with two field goals early in the second quarter before Malone began to heat up and claw its way back. Following a pair of free throws from Hannah McCue, Chrissie Vaughan connected on three three-pointers during a tremendous 23-4 run that lasted the better part of six minutes. Another corner three by Sydney Wentling made it 33-27 before Malone eventually took a 34-30 lead into the halftime lockerroom.
 
After connecting on 5-of-5 threes to end the first half, Malone added five more threes on eight tries in the third quarter. Two more treys by Vaughan, two by Mackenzie Storlie, and another by Rachel Goddard helped Malone outscore the Senators 27-23 in an exciting third quarter that saw the Pioneerstake a 61-53 lead into the final period.
 
The Pioneers' hot hand continued into the fourth. A 10-foot jumper by Vaughan and then another three, her sixth of the day, made it a 68-58 game with just over six minutes remaining. Davis & Elkins, who came into the game ranked 3rd in the nation in three-pointers per game, would not go down without a fight and battled back to regain the lead. Back-to-back Senator threes sparked an 11-0 run that eventually gave the hosts a 69-68 advantage with under three minutes to play.
 
Unfazed, Malone answered back with a Baylen Dyrlund layup off a crisp pass from McCue before a mid-range jumper from D&E gave the hosts a 71-70 advantage with under two to play.
 
Vaughan then responded with her biggest three of the game on the Pioneers' next time down the floor that proved to be the game-winner. Following a missed jumper from D&E, Malone senior Alaina Schwarz' left-handed layup made it 75-71 before Malone forced an errant three-pointer on the next D&E possession. Rachel Goddard's wide-open layup moments later off another sweet pass from McCue put the finishing touches on the Pioneers come-from-behind victory.
 
Game Highlights
-Malone scored 63 points on 51.1% (23-of-45) shooting over the final three quarters.
-The Pioneers finished the game with 13 three-pointers on 30 tries (43.3%) while the hosts netted 9-of-29 tries from distance.
-Davis & Elkins, the G-MAC's leading scorer, shot 39.4% (26-of-66) from the field against the Pioneers' G-MAC leading defense
-Malone converted 10 D&E turnovers into 15 points and 10 offensive rebounds into 12 second-chance points.
-Overall, Malone managed a slim 41-37 rebounding edge.

Malone Individual Highlights
-The seven three pointers by Chrissie Vaughan matched a career-high and the 24 points was one shy of her career-mark. Vaughan finished the game 8-of-13 from the field and 7-of-12 from beyond the arc while adding seven rebounds, a block, and a steal.
-Rachel Goddard provided 10 points and eight assists for the Pioneers.
-Perhaps lost in the mix was a fine defensive performance by Hannah McCue who corralled 14 rebounds and blocked four shots. She added 12 points and five assists on the offensive end.
-Baylen Dyrlund reached double-digits as well, scoring 10 points and recording two steals.
-Alaina Schwarz tallied eight points and a career-high four assists.
 
Davis & Elkins Individual Highlights
-G-MAC leading scorer Stephanie Wooten totaled 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists to lead the Senators, but was frustrated all night by the Pioneer defense. She committed five turnovers on the evening while shooting just 4-of-18 from the field and 1-of-10 from three-point range.
-Aliyah Dukes totaled 13 points and four assists off the bench
-Sydney Turner added 10 points, seven boards, and two steals.
 
Up Next:
The Pioneers will return home this Saturday, February 18th to take on Alderson Broaddus University at 1:00 pm. Malone edged the Battlers 77-70 in a road contest last month.