MARION, Ind. – The Spring Arbor University women's basketball team pushed No. 21 Indiana Wesleyan University to the limit until the final horn sounded, but the Wildcats escaped with a narrow 46-43 win.
With nine seconds to play and Indiana Wesleyan leading by three, the Wildcats missed a pair of free throws, giving SAU one last chance, but a potential game-tying 3-pointer by Gracie Cabana at the buzzer came up empty.
Cabana finished with a game-high 16 points while Grace Shoobridge posted 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Spring Arbor 43, No. 21 Indiana Wesleyan 46
LOCATION: Indiana Wesleyan University | Marion, Ind.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 7-20 (2-14 CL), Indiana Wesleyan 21-7 (12-4 CL)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a slow start in the first quarter by both teams, Spring Arbor opened the second quarter with a 10-2 run to grab a 14-7 lead.
- Indiana Wesleyan responded with a 10-0 run of its own late in the period to retake the lead and went into the locker room on top 19-15.
- Spring Arbor stayed within striking distance the entire second half, but could never get over the hump. On several occasions, the Cougars would trim the deficit to one, but the Wildcats answered every time, refusing to surrender their lead.
- Trailing by five with 10 seconds left on the clock, Cabana hit a jumper in the paint to get SAU within three, 46-43. After a Spring Arbor foul, IWU's Baylie VanDyke missed a pair of free throws, giving the Cougars one last chance, but a 3-pointer by Cabana at the buzzer was off the mark.
FOR THE COUGARS
- Cabana was the game's leading scorer with 16 points while also collecting six rebounds. Shoobridge stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, nine rebounds and a career-high seven blocks.
- Anne Marie Wright recorded 12 points and Cierra Lipps chipped in five.
FOR THE WILDCATS
- Carly Lange and Madison Davis scored 12 points apiece to lead Indiana Wesleyan.
- The Wildcats shot 42 percent (18-for-43) from the field and 40 percent (6-for-15) from the free throw line.
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor will play its final road game of the regular season at Goshen College (8-20, 1-15 CL) on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
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