McPHERSON, Kan. (MacBulldogs.com) — It took overtime to decide a winner on Saturday (Feb. 10) between McPherson and Bethany College, but the Swedes came away with a 99-92 win inside the Sport Center. The Bulldogs falls to 4-4 in overtime games in the Josh Nichols era.
The Bulldogs (6-18, 2-16 KCAC) were outscored 10-3 in the final three minutes of the extra session. A 7-0 run that included back-to-back layups by Lauren Gleason broke an 89-89 gridlock. Chloe Clevenger drilled a three with 17 seconds to play, but the Swedes made the most of their free throw attempts down the stretch.
Bethany came into the contest ranked fifth in the KCAC in points allowed, holding their opponents to just 64.8 points per game. The Bulldogs’ 92 points are the most Bethany has surrendered this season. McPherson shot 43.5 percent from the field.
The Swedes shot 45 free throws, connecting on 36, while MC was 24-for-39 from the charity stripe.
Clevenger led the Bulldogs with a career-high 22 points, including eight of the Bulldogs’ nine points in overtime. Madelyn Hankins added 20 points and four rebounds.
Trailing 83-81 with six second remaining in regulation, the Bulldogs looked to Gillian Rodgers to tie the score, and Rodgers delivered missing her first layup attempt but grabbed the rebound and sent the game to overtime.
Kylie Dunn paced the Swedes (13-11, 11-7 KCAC) with 24 points, including shooting 4-for-6 from the three-point line and a perfect 10-for-10 at the free throw line. Jaden Newfarmer added 18 points and eleven rebounds.
The Swedes held a 38-37 lead at the break, but McPherson used hot shooting to open up a 62-57 advantage with just ten minutes to play. The Bulldogs shot 10-for-19 in the third quarter, and grabbed four offensive rebounds.
A triple by Dunn less than 90 second into the fourth quarter pulled the Swedes within two. Bethany took a 71-70 lead with 4:06 left in regulation before a 10-4 burst by the Bulldogs helped them open up their largest lead of the contest with 1:47 remaining.
The Swedes erased that lead over the next minute, after five straight points by Dunn followed by a pair of free throws by R’Manie Pulling evened the score at 81-81. A missed layup by Clevenger led to a foul by Summer Kirkman that sent Dunn to the line to put the Swedes on top 83-81.
Kirkman scored nine points off the bench in her first game back from injury, while Matisyn Moses added eleven points.
The Bulldogs hit the road for a meeting against Ottawa University on Wednesday (Feb. 14). Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
