CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University women's basketball team won their Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Quarterfinal game against Kentucky Wesleyan College, 63-52. The Pioneers are now 24-5 overall. The Panthers end their season with a 15-12 overall record.
Kentucky Wesleyan started the game on an 11-0 run.
Erin Kaufman put Malone's first points on the board just over the halfway mark in the first. Triples from
Bridget Barber and
Meredith Randulic would help to cut the first quarter deficit to five at 17-12.
Kaufman and Barber made the first two baskets of the second quarter to put the Pioneers behind by one, but Malone went the final 6:15 of the period without a point. Kentucky Wesleyan went on another scoring run (14-0) to finish out the half, 31-16. The Pioneers were held to just 22.6% (7-for-31) from the field in the first half.
Kaufman started the second half with her own 9-2 run to bring Malone within single digits and a steal and score from
Anna Krupa forced Kentucky Wesleyan to take a timeout with their lead trimmed to just 33-27 with 6:24 to go. At 4:40 on the clock, Randulic knocked down another three which made it 36-30. To end the third quarter,
Elena Oliver went on a 7-0 run by herself to tie the score at 41-41. Oliver buried a three on the final possession of the period to seize all momentum. In total, it was a 25-10 scoring difference for the home squad to make it a brand-new ballgame.
Malone took their first lead of the game on the opening possession of the fourth with a made basket from Krupa. The Panthers answered to tie it back up, but a triple from Oliver would put the Pioneers in the lead remainder of the game. Shots from Barber, Kaufman and Oliver kept Malone up 56-47.
Brinn Hunt would give the Pioneers a double-digit lead after four made free throws. The team was 7-for-8 from the charity stripe in the final 35 seconds of play to seal the 63-52 victory.
Malone shot 45.9% in the second half at 17-for-37 from the field. The defense held the Panthers to just 21 points in the second half and the Pioneers won the turnover battle 21-13. Malone outrebounded Kentucky Wesleyan 42-34 and won on second chance points 11-1. The Panthers were just 3-of-13 (23.1%) from beyond the arc and 5-of-12 (41.7%) from the free throw line.
Kaufman led the Pioneers with 23 points and eight rebounds. Oliver left with 12 points and was 5-for-9 from the field. Krupa had seven rebounds, four of which were offensive. Kaufman, Armstrong, and Krupa each had three steals to contribute to the team's total of 12.
Up next, the Pioneers will travel to Midland, Michigan for a G-MAC Semifinal game against the University of Findlay. Game time will be at 7:30 P.M. on Friday, March 6.
