Box Score

Indiana Wesleyan INWU 18-12, 11-7 CL

Spring Arbor (Mich.) SAU 14-16, 5-13 CL

Indiana Wesleyan INWU

18-12, 11-7 CL

Final

Feb. 18, 2017

Spring Arbor (Mich.) SAU

14-16, 5-13 CL

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Indiana Wesleyan INWU	18	14	15	15	62
Spring Arbor (Mich.) SAU	15	16	14	11	56

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 2/18/2017 12:00:00 AM

Cougars conclude season against Indiana Wesleyan

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 24 ranked Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats escaped with a 62-56 win over the upset-minded Spring Arbor University women's basketball team in its season finale Saturday afternoon.

Following the game, the Cougars honored five seniors, Karly Bender, Kylie Townsley, Rachel Driesenga, Aimee Konkel, and manager, Reyna Luplow.

It was no secret from the start that the Cougars, on a two-game win streak and recently playing very solid team basketball, were going to play a tough 40 minutes and give the Wildcats their all. Spring Arbor was trailing by one with a minute to play until IWU converted a bucket and buried a few free throws in the remaining seconds to settle the score.

Rachel Nelson finished with 26 points, tying her career-high. Driesenga tallied a game-high nine rebounds. Kylie Townsley registered 15 points, six rebounds and four assists while Autumn Goggin chipped nine points.

The Wildcats tried to pounce on the Cougars with a quick 9-2 lead before eight first-quarter points by Townsley and a basket by both Driesenga and Ryann Laier allowed the Cougars to finish the quarter trailing 18-15.

In the second quarter, both teams continued to trade baskets. It quickly became a battle of the three point shot as Goggin buried one, and Nelson hit one in three consecutive possessions that would eventually give the Cougars their first lead of the game, 29-26, at the 2:45 mark. The Wildcats, too, had their share of triples as IWU's Kelsey Key hit two in a row to answer Nelson and give IWU a 32-31 halftime advantage.

The Cougars entered the third quarter with an immediate basket by Nelson to give SAU their second lead of the game 33-32. IWU went on a 7-0 run until the Cougars continued to chip away. Made baskets by a slew of Cougars put them within two, 47-45, going into the final ten minutes of play.

The final quarter was nothing short of a battle. Nelson continued to hit her shots, and IWU continued to answer until three Spring Arbor steals, led by a determined Townsley, and a critical three-point basket by Goggin brought momentum in Cougar favor 57-56 with 1:19 left. However, a scoreless final minute for the Cougars and made free throws by the Wildcats allowed Indiana Wesleyan (18-12, 11-7 CL) the win 62-56.

Spring Arbor coach, Ryan Frost, commented on the legacy that his seniors would be leaving behind, "I am so proud of this team and how they've stuck together this season. Our seniors have done such an incredible job setting a culture for our basketball program. We talk a lot about playing with Power, Love and Self Discipline (referencing 2 Timothy 1:7). These four young ladies have been a great example of what that looks like."

The Cougars finish their season with an overall record of 14-16 and 5-13 in the Crossroads League.