Bison Women's Basketball Falls Short at Kenyon
Nov. 24 – GAMBIER, Ohio – The Bethany College women's basketball team lost just one quarter in Tuesday night's matchup with the Ladies of Kenyon College, but that was just enough to swing momentum as the Bison dropped a 70-64 decision in non-conference action.
Holding a five-point lead at the halftime break, the Bison were outscored 23-10 in the third quarter as the host Ladies turned a five-point deficit into an eight-point advantage; a deficit from which the Bison could not come back.
The Green & White controlled the first half, using solid all-around play to take the advantage. After the game opened with the two teams trading baskets, the Bison used an 8-2 run to take a six-point lead. Following a basket from Alexis Naples (Salem, Ohio/South Range), senior Mikyla Tipton (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville) drained back-to-back triples to give Bethany a 14-8 lead with 3:41 to play in the quarter.
The Green & White would push the advantage to as many as eight points (19-11) on a pair of free throws by Tipton. However, a Miranda Diesz three for the Ladies would cut Bethany's lead to just five (19-14) at the end of the quarter.
At the start of the second stanza, Kenyon would connect on another three before freshman Ashley Duthie (Madison, Ohio/Madison) would nail her first triple of the night to once again extend the advantage to five (22-17). Following the Duthie bucket, a layup by Gabrielle Naples (Salem, Ohio/Salem) and a three by Hayley Holenka (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside) would give the Green & White their first double-digit advantage of the day (27-17) with 7:34 to play.
The two sides would exchange buckets over the next seven minutes, with the hosts cutting into the Bison lead bit by bit, until a layup by Diesz pulled the Ladies within two (32-30) with 2:34 to play before the half.
Duthie would once again have the answer by nailing another triple, her third of the half, to push the lead to five (35-30). The Green & White would take the same advantage into the locker room at the half, leading 38-33.
The Bison controlled the entirety of the first half, leading the stanza for 16:25. The Green & White were on fire in the half, shooting 50 percent from the field, including 8-of-15 from deep. Duthie and Tipton were the key focal points in the first stanza, combining for 23 points over the opening two quarters.
In the third frame, Kenyon came out of the gate strong, outscoring the Bison 16-4 to turn Bethany's five point lead into a seven-point deficit (49-42) with 3:53 to play in the third quarter. The Ladies took advantage of seven Bison turnovers in the run, which lead to the team's 16 points.
The Ladies would match the largest advantage that the Bison had accomplished in the third quarter as they too ran their lead to 10 points on a pair of free throws by Sidney Cera with 28 seconds to play in the frame. Tipton would respond in waning seconds, however, hitting a layup as time expired, keeping the deficit at single-digits (56-48) as the game headed to the fourth.
An 8-3 Bethany run to open the fourth would get the Green & White back within just three, as Duthie's fourth three of the night trimmed the hosts lead to 59-56 with 8:09 to play. However, an 8-0 run by the Ladies, which included a pair of threes from Bailey Dominguez, would push the lead back to 11 points (67-56).
The Bison would fight back, trimming the lead once again to five points on a free-throw from Holenka. However, time ran out on the comeback, and the Bison fell 70-64.
Offensively in the game, Tipton and Duthie led the way for the Green & White. Tipton finished the game with a team and season-high 19 points, connecting on 4-of-7 from downtown. She shot efficiently on the night, hitting 60 percent of her attempts in the game.
Duthie posted a career-high 14 points in the game, also tallying four three-point baskets. The freshman shot 50 percent from the field while also adding three rebounds and an assist. Kelsea Daugherty (Newport, Ohio/Frontier) also chipped in with double figures, totaling 11 points and seven rebounds.
Overall, the Bison were outscored in the reserve game by the Ladies as Kenyon held a 29-19 advantage in bench points. Duthie led all reserves for the Bison, while Kenyon's bench was paced by eight points from Diesz. The Green & White also suffered the fate of 28 turnovers, getting outscored 26-8 in points off turnovers in the contest.
The Green & White will be back in action on Wednesday, December 2 when they open Presidents' Athletic conference play against Saint Vincent College. Action is slated for a 5:30 p.m. start.
