SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – It took all 40 minutes, but the Spring Arbor University women's basketball team grinded out a hard-fought 52-49 victory over Bethel College on Saturday afternoon inside the McDonald Athletic Center. Rachel Nelson finished with a game-high 20 points and Gracie Cabana followed with 13 to lead the way for the Cougars.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Spring Arbor 52, Bethel 49
LOCATION: McDonald Athletic Center | Spring Arbor, Mich.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 6-14 (2-6 CL), Bethel 10-10 (2-6 CL)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Neither team led by more than six points in a game that featured six ties and four lead changes.
- Bethel grabbed its largest lead of the game after a Maci Heimlich three-pointer just before halftime, giving the Pilots a 22-19 advantage at the break.
- Spring Arbor came out of the locker room red-hot, hitting three triples to jump in front. Cabana opened the third quarter with back-to-back three's before Nelson buried a shot from behind the arc to give SAU a 28-24 lead.
- The Cougars remained in front the rest of the game, but the Pilots stayed within striking distance. Clinging to a two-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Grace Shoobridge delivered a clutch basket to push the margin to four, 47-43, at the 2:08 mark. Bethel made one last push, however, closing the gap to one with eight seconds left, but Nelson sank two big free throws and the Pilots' attempt at a game-tying shot at the buzzer came up empty.
FOR THE COUGARS
- Nelson dropped a game-high 20 points – her fourth 20-point performance of the season. She knocked down three triples and was 9-for-10 from the free throw line.
- Cabana finished 13 points and four steals while Anne Marie Wright had eight points.
- The Cougars got some key contributions off the bench. Ali Gerka had five points and Shoobridge totaled four points and four rebounds. Teona Feldpausch hauled in five boards.
- Spring Arbor shot 33 percent (16-for-49) on the afternoon while making nine three-pointers. The Cougars were also 11-for-14 from the free throw line.
FOR THE PILOTS
- Three Bethel players scored in double figures. Jessica Erwin had 13 points followed by Kamala Glenn with 12 and Heimlich with 11.
- The Pilots were 37 percent (17-for-46) from the field and just 8-for-30 from behind the three-point line.
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor travels to Fort Wayne, Indiana on Wednesday, Jan. 16 to take on the University of Saint Francis (13-7, 5-3 CL) starting at 7 p.m.
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