SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University women's basketball team came to play on Wednesday night going toe-to-toe with No. 7 ranked Indiana Wesleyan University.
Spring Arbor trimmed a 13-point fourth quarter deficit to three with 2:42 remaining in the game, but the Wildcats were able to hold off SAU's furious comeback and escape with a 73-63 win.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Spring Arbor 63, (7) Indiana Wesleyan 73
LOCATION: McDonald Athletic Center | Spring Arbor, Mich.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 4-3 (0-3 CL), Indiana Wesleyan 8-2 (3-0 CL)
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- The first two quarters went back and forth with the lead changing hands six times, and no team ever led by more than seven points.
- Spring Arbor trailed by seven, 29-22, at the 4:25 mark of the second quarter, but battled back and entered the intermission tied, 35-35.
- The Cougars led by four, 47-43, in the third quarter before Indiana Wesleyan flipped the script and used an 9-1 run to pull ahead 52-48 entering the final period.
- The Wildcats carried that momentum over to the fourth quarter and expanded the margin to 13, 63-50, with 6:14 left in the contest. However, SAU answered with a 10-0 scoring run – highlighted by 3-pointers from Alex Long and Alize Tripp – to close the gap to three, 63-60, with less than three minutes to play.
- That was as close as the Cougars would get. Indiana Wesleyan scored six unanswered points to halt the comeback effort and held on to remain unbeaten in Crossroads League play.
- Long had 20 points to lead the Cougars. She also added seven rebounds and three steals. Alana Nelson followed with 16 points and 11 rebounds while Tripp finished with 12 points and five assists.
- IWU's Izzy Reed recorded a team-best 19 points.
- Spring Arbor finished with a 42-32 edge in rebounds, including 13 offensive boards which led to 14 second-chance points. The Cougars also went 21-for-26 from the free throw line while IWU was just 7-for-10.
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor welcomes Goshen College to town on Saturday, Dec. 3. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
