The Ursuline College basketball team has lost just seven conference games over the last two seasons, four of those have been to Malone. The Pioneers were the Arrows' kryptonite once again on Thursday as they limited Ursuline to a season-low 31.8% shooting in a 70-59 road victory, their fourth-straight over the in-state rival.
 
With the impressive triumph over the Arrows, who came in tied for first place in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and ranked 8th in the Midwest Region, the Pioneers remained fully alive for a G-MAC Championship Tournament berth. Malone, now 8-13 in conference (10-15 overall), will earn the chance to defend their 2017 title with a win over Lake Erie on Saturday. Ursuline, with the loss, dropped to 19-8 overall and 16-5 in conference.
 
Recap
The Pioneers fought through a slow start, in which they missed eight of their first nine field goal attempts over the first five minutes of the game, to take a five-point edge after one quarter. Down 8-2, Malone captured the lead with 10 straight points, including five each from Holly Groff and Sydney Wentling over a 90-second span. A Naomi Grandison three, an open layup from Ellen Doyle off of a baseline pass from Wentling, and a driving layup by Groff that beat the first-quarter horn added to the scoring surge and kept Malone in front 19-14 through the opening stanza
 
Thanks to a sterling defensive effort and a handful of big shots, the Pioneers pulled away in the second quarter. Malone held Ursuline to just 3-of-20 (15%) shooting and took advantage of four three-pointers, including two by Grandison, another by Paiten Strother, and an open trey from Wentling just before the first-half buzzer to take a 39-27 lead going into half.
 
Some of the shots the Arrows missed in the first 20 minutes began to fall in the third quarter as they closed to within three points, 49-46, with 1:48 remaining in the frame. Malone overcame a 3-for-14 field goal effort with eight third-quarter free throws and eventually went to the fourth up 54-47.
 
Malone maintained that seven-point cushion for the entire fourth quarter, going ahead by as many as 12 points on a corner three by Chrissie Vaughan with just three minutes left to play. The Pioneer defense came through once again, limiting the Arrows to only five made field goals and forcing five turnovers in the period. Just moments after the game ended on Thursday, the Cedarville women eliminated Davis & Elkins from postseason contention and left Malone in control of its own destiny.
 
Game Highlights
-Malone held Ursuline to a season-low 31.8% (21-of-66) shooting, surpassing the previous low of 35.1%. It was the third-lowest mark by a Malone opponent this season.
-The 59 points scored by the Arrows, who came in averaging over 77 points a game, were their second-fewest this season.
-The Pioneers did not shoot much better offensively, making only 34.8% (23-of-66) of their shot attempts, but they knocked down 10 three-pointers and were 14-of-20 at the free-throw line.
-Malone also did well to protect the basketball, committing a season-low five turnovers, the fewest since the 2015-16 season opener.
-The Pioneer bench outscored Ursuline's 29-3 and Malone held the Arrows to eight points in the paint.
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-Sydney Wentling came off the bench to score a career-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
-Holly Groff just missed out on her first career double-double as she ended the night with 15 points, a career-high-tying nine rebounds, five assists, and a steal.
-Naomi Grandison was one shy of matching a career-high with nine boards in addition to her 13 points.
Ellen Doyle collected six points, six rebounds, and a steal in 18 solid minutes off the bench.
 
Ursuline Individual Highlights
-G-MAC Player of the Year Laney Lewis, the NCAA leader in triple-doubles, stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, six blocks, and two steals.
-Camryn Hill contributed 13 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
-Ky Crevison added 12 points on four made threes.
 
Up Next
Malone will play a "win-and-you're-in" contest at Lake Erie this Saturday at 3:00 pm. The winner of that game will earn the #8 seed in the G-MAC Tournament. Malone defeated Lake Erie 86-77 at home earlier this season.