Pride go wire-to-wire on their way to 84-77 win over Mid-America Christian

WICHITA, Kan. - Following a defensive battle in the first round, the Clarke University women's basketball team needed to fill it up on Saturday afternoon in their 84-77 win over Mid-America Christian University in the NAIA Tournament Round of 32. 

The Pride never trailed for the whole game as they scored more points in the first quarter than they did in the entire first half on Friday, ending the first 10 minutes leading 24-11 over the Evangels.

MACU didn't go down without a fight as they used some full court pressure to force 10 CU turnovers in the first half as they were able to get to within four points at the halftime break at a 42-38 Pride lead.

"We came out a completely different team in the first quarter than we did yesterday and that's what held us through," head coach Courtney Boyd said. "They made some good adjustments, our defense kept them off the free throw line and we were able to knock down free throws at the end of the game so that was a big key for us."

That second half adjustment at the free throw line was key to Clarke holding the lead at many occasions throughout the game as they went just 2-for-6 (33.3%) in the first half from the charity stripe but improved to 19-for-24 (79.2%) as they made more free throws in total than MACU took in the entire game.

The free throw line was key in the final minute of the game as Clarke hit all but one of their final eight free throws to pull it from a 77-75 game to the 84-77 final score.

"We like the pressure," sophomore guard Nicole McDermott said. "We're at our best when there's pressure and there's not much greater pressure than knocking down big free throws to win a game."

"We step up to the line knowing that we've worked on these free throws," Boyd said. "We don't go a practice or a shootaround without shooting free throws so stepping up to the line with that confidence knowing that you're going to knock it down because you've practiced it 100 times and what better time than now to knock them down."

McDermott was one of four members of the Pride in double figures as she finished with 15 points and seven rebounds with senior Emma Kelchen leading the team in scoring for the second-straight game as she finished with 23 points and seven rebounds following her 19 point performance against Tabor.

Tina Ubl added 17 points and five rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from three point range following a 4-for-14 performance on Friday. Clarke really leaned on their senior leaders on the offensive end, playing in their eighth national tournament game in their four-year careers.

"It goes from experience and family and those two change their approach to the game every time as far as what they need to bring," Boyd said. "Tina Ubl took a chewing at halftime, there were a few things I wasn't pleased with and she shot a three and hit it in the third quarter and gave me a look out of the corner of her eye and as a senior you can do that. As a senior when you can look at me and say, 'I got you coach, we're going to make this happen' it's a trust thing. They trust their teammates and as a coach I trust them they can tell me what they want to be in and we'll get in it. Turning the corner with those two is a big piece to the puzzle for us."

Giana Michels was the final member of the Pride in double figures as she finished with 16 points, five assists, and three rebounds as the point guard duo of Skylar Culbertson and Izzie Peterson combined for seven assists and three rebounds with Peterson adding four points off the bench. Taylor Haase provided key minutes off the bench with seven points and five rebounds in 17 minutes of action.

"We're playing as a family," Culbertson said. "We want this more than anything and we've wanted it from the beginning. We're not done yet so we're super excited."

Clarke women's basketball will move on to the final site of the NAIA National Tournament as they will get set for a trip to Sioux City, Iowa for a game next Friday against Marian University for a 3:00 p.m. scheduled tip at the Tyson Event Center.