SPRING ARBOR, MI – Coming into tonight's ball game with the undefeated, and number one ranked University of St. Francis Cougars, Spring Arbor knew that they would have to play a perfect game of basketball to have a chance to upset the Crossroads League leader. The SAU Cougars put up a good fight, and never backed down, but still came up short 84-66.
St. Francis led the game wire to wire and played like the number one team in the Country and had an answer for every offensive run that Spring Arbor threw at them. In the first half, USF quickly ran to a double digit lead in just seven minutes of action leading 20-10, but Spring Arbor cut that lead in half with the help of Carlie Newman and Jessica Garrison's shooting. But just a few minutes later, St. Francis had stretched the lead to 14 (37-23) and the Cougars clawed their way back to an eight point deficit with 2:47 left in the half.
The score at intermission was 39-29 with St. Francis holding the lead with 20 minutes to play.
St. Francis controlled the pace of play much better during the last half of play leading by as many as 28 points while the Cougars got as close as 18 finishing up the game.
St. Francis had four players score 15 or more points led by Skylarr Shurn with 24 points.
Carlie Newman had her highest scoring performance of her young and brilliant career as she poured in 29 points and grabbing nine boards. Jessica Garrison scored 13 points hitting three of four 3-pointers in the game.
St. Francis remains perfect at 27-0 and 15-0 while the Cougars fall to 10-16 and 4-11 and it won't get much easier for Spring Arbor as they will travel to Indiana Wesleyan University on Saturday for a 1:00 tilt with the NAIA's 10th ranked team.
