WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Spring Arbor University women's basketball team kicked off its Florida trip with a 70-66 win over Keiser University on Monday.
With the Cougars clinging to a two point lead and less than three minutes to play, Gracie Cabana converted an old-fashioned three-point play and Gabby Barnett sank two more clutch free throws to crush the Seahawks' hopes of a comeback.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Spring Arbor 70, Keiser 66
LOCATION: Student Life Center | West Palm Beach, Fla.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 5-10, Keiser 7-8
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Spring Arbor opened on a 9-2 run and would hold a lead throughout most of the contest.
- The Cougars made four of their first five shots in the second quarter to expand the margin to double digits with the largest lead being 13, 29-16.
- Keiser battled back behind some red-hot shooting – hitting 7-of-10 shots over a six-minute span – and the two teams would go into halftime tied 36-36.
- Anne Marie Wright drilled a three-pointer to kickstart a 6-0 SAU run to begin the third quarter. However, the Seahawks refused to stay down and continued chopping away at the deficit. The home team made it a one point game late in the period, but Cabana answered with a layup to put the Cougars up three, 53-50, heading to the fourth quarter.
- Spring Arbor looked to be on the verge of breaking the game open again midway through the final stanza when Rachel Nelson buried a three, extending the lead to six, 60-54. But, Keiser would respond once again with six straight points to tie the score with 4:24 to play.
- The Cougars led by two at the 2:33 mark when Cabana converted a back-breaking and-one opportunity. Moments later, following a big defensive stand, Barnett sank a pair of free throws to help seal the win.
FOR THE COUGARS
- Nelson was one of four Cougars to score in double figures, leading the way with a game-high 19 points. Barnett followed with a season-best 14, Cabana finished with 13 points, four rebounds and five assists, and Wright added 11 points and four assists.
- Ryann Laier pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to go along with five points. Kristina Grace and Teona Feldpausch chipped in four points and six boards apiece off the bench.
- Spring Arbor connected on 47 percent (26-for-55) of its field goal attempts.
- The Cougars held a 36-30 advantage in rebounds.
FOR THE SEAHAWKS
- Yaire Rodriguez led Keiser with 13 points and seven assists.
- The Seahawks shot 42 percent (26-for-61) on the afternoon, and were held to just seven total free throw attempts.
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor is right back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 18, visiting St. Thomas University (8-4) in Miami Gardens, Florida. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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