Box Score Danville, Ky. – The Mount St. Joseph University women's basketball team traveled down south into Kentucky on Monday to take on the Colonels of Centre College in a non-conference competition over winter break. The Lions entered the game 2-7 overall with a 1-2 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference record. The Colonels hosted the game with a 5-6 overall record and a 0-1 Southern Athletic Association conference record.
The Lions last saw competition a week and a half ago when the defeated the Lady Barons of Franciscan University, earning their second win of the 2019-2020 season. Entering Monday's game, the Lions hoped to build up their win column before entering conference play for the rest of the season.
Both teams were off to a slow start after tip-off, with both teams missing key opportunities. The Lions would prevail first to get on the scoreboard with a layup by junior Aliyah Huff (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon). The Colonels would answer quickly with a layup of their own before adding a three pointer to their score. A jump shot by sophomore Kamryn McCool (Brookville, Ind./Franklin County) would keep the Lions in the game as the score read 5-4 in favor of the Colonels with 5:58 left in the first quarter. The Colonels went on to add two points to their score, but a three by junior Mackenzie Marcum (Mason, Ohio/Kings) would tie the game up 7-7 with 3:57 left in the quarter. The game wouldn't stay tied for long as the Colonels would continue to add points to the scoreboard with a jump shot. The Lions would take a time out and both teams would struggle to make a basket over the next minute and a half. The Lions would earn back the lead for the first time after the opening tip-off with a three pointer by freshman Carlee Daulton (Ripley, Ohio/Ripley Union Lewis Huntington). With 1:57 left on the clock in the first quarter the Lions led the Colonels 10-9. Junior Maddie Haberthy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) would record the rest of the points in the quarter with two free throws and a jump shot. At the end of the first quarter the Lions held a 14-9 point lead over the Colonels.
A three pointer by the Colonels would start the second quarter just 30 seconds in. Aliyah Huff would answer with a layup to give the Lions a 16-12 lead. The Colonels would answer the Lions with back to back three pointers plus a jump shot to steal the lead as the Lions now trailed 20-16 with 7:02 left in the quarter. Two free throws made by Aliyah Huff brought the Lions within two just over 20 seconds later. At this point the game would start to go back and forth between the Lions and the Colonels, with both teams taking the lead from each other and tying things up. Kamryn McCool would get it started with a three at the 6:07 mark to take the 21-20 lead before the Colonels would make a jump shot 30 seconds later. They would build on this with another jump shot, causing the Lions to trail 24-21. A jump shot by Maddie Haberthy followed by a three from Mackenzie Marcum would give the Lions a 26-24 lead with 3:27 left in the quarter. Both teams would make multiple subs over the next minute but neither team was able to create much action and time was ticking down. A foul by the Lions gave the Colonels two free throws in which they were able to capitalize. A jump shot with 1:07 left in the quarter would give the Colonels their final points of the half as they led the Lions 28-26. With the final minute of the half remaining the Lions would give it all they got. Kamryn McCool would earn two free throws with 23 seconds remaining. McCool would make both to tie the game up, sending both teams into halftime with the scoreboard reading 28-28.
Much like the second quarter the Colonels would get things start off in the third quarter coming out of halftime. The Colonels started off the third with a jump shot and a layup to take a 32-28 lead over the Lions. Free throws would be shared between the two teams over the next minute, with Jaleah Fair-Harris (Columbus, Ohio/Centennial) and Chloe Jansen (Fort Thomas, Ky, Highlands) each making one, along with the Colonels making one. Aliyah Huff then made a jump shot, bringing the Lions within one as they trailed 33-32 with 7:43 left in the third quarter. Neither team would create much action until the Colonels committed a foul, giving Maddie Haberthy two free throws in which, she made both, giving the Lions the lead for the first time in the third quarter with the score reading 34-33. Much like the last quarter, the game would begin to go back and forth between the two teams. A jump shot made by the Colonels was followed by a three pointer from the Lions sophomore Rachael Moody (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) Five minutes remained in the quarter as the Lions led 37-35. A pair of jump shots from both teams created quick changes in the score but the Lions would prevail with the 41-39 lead as time was beginning to tick down. The Colonels would take control of the final two minutes of the third quarter, holding the Lions to just two points as they were able to rack up seven points. The Lions trailed 45-43 entering the final quarter of action.
Both teams made multiple changes before the fourth quarter began. The Colonels would add two points to their lead before Chloe Jansen made two free throws to keep the Lions within two. The Lions tied the game up at 47-47 with 6:18 left in the game from a jump shot by Aliyah Huff. This would end up being the Lions closest chance to taking the lead for the rest of the game as the Colonels always had at least one up of the Lions for the remaining six minutes of action. Chloe Jansen brought it within one with a jump shot at the 3:39 mark, the Lions trailed the Colonels 50-49. Fouls committed by the Lions allowed the Colonels to extend their lead over the final seconds of action. After a tough back and forth game, the Lions ultimately fell to the Colonels of Centre College by a final score of 58-52.
Multiple Lions recorded points for the day, with Aliyah Huff and Kamryn McCool leading the team with 11 points each. Huff recorded five rebounds while McCool earned four rebounds, one steal and one block.
The Lions will be back in action on Friday, January 3rd as they travel to North Manchester, Indiana to take on the Spartans of Manchester University in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game. Friday's game will mark the beginning pf the second part of the 2019-2020 season for the Lions as they compete against conference competition for the rest of the season. The game is set to tip off at 5PM. Continue to check out MSJSports.com for the remainder of the Lions 2019-2020 season!
