CINCINNATI, Ohio – On Saturday, January 6th your Mount St. Joseph University women's basketball team welcomed the Quakers of Earlham College to the Harrington Center for a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup. After a hot start to begin the game, the Lions struggled to close out the first half but still held a one-point lead. After the break, the Lions exploded offensively combining for 41 second half points to take down the Quakers 68-55.
To begin the game, the Lions wasted no time building a lead. The Mount started on an 11-3 run powered by a pair of three-pointers from
Karlee Mills and
Ellie Oldendick. But, Earlham responded with a 16-4 run of their own, taking a 19-15 lead with 1:27 left in the quarter. A free throw from
Madison Drummonds followed by another three-pointer from Mills tied the game at 19 to end the first quarter.
In the second, each team struggled offensively. Drummonds would get the first bucket to fall giving the Lions a 21-19 lead. Earlham answered right back taking a two-point lead with just under seven minutes remaining in the half. A jumper from Haley Guingrich tied the game at 23 before the Lions would take the lead. With just under two minutes left to play Guingrich would knock down another bucket to give the Lions a 27-26 lead. Neither team would score to end the half with the Lions ahead 27-26.
Out of the locker room, the Lions looked reenergized. Mills led the charge for the Lions sinking a pair of triples leading to an 8-2 run. After the Mount took a seven-point lead, the Quakers slowly answered pulling within one with just over four and a half minutes left in the third quarter. The Lions would end the quarter on another dominant run. To finish the quarter the Lions outscored the Quakers 11-3 holding a 48-39 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes.
The Mount didn't skip a beat during the quarter break starting the fourth on a 16-2 run.
Morgan Jenkins looked unstoppable draining four straight shots and scoring 11 of the Lions 16 points during the run. Following the run, the Quakers answered but not enough to cut the deficit to single digits. After 40 minutes of play, the Lions earned their 4
th HCAC win of the season knocking off Earlham 68-53.
Jenkins had another dominant performance for the Lions. Jenkins led the Lions in points, assists and steals posting 17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists. Mills was efficient from the floor for the Lions finishing 5-10 from beyond the arc with 15 points. Guingrich put together another dominant showing on the glass. The Freshman finished with a team-high 16 rebounds, just two shy of the school record while adding 12 points and 4 blocks.
UP NEXT: Your Mount St. Joseph Lions are back in action on Wednesday, January 10
th when they travel to Franklin, Ind. to take on the Grizzlies of Franklin College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7PM.
