NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Alma College women's basketball team ended its season Tuesday night in Notre Dame, Ind., with a 66-54 loss to Saint Mary's College, ending the Scots' season with a 10-14 record and a 6-10 mark in MIAA regular season games.
In what would become the season finale for the Maroon and Cream, they came out of the gate battling with the Belles, trading the lead four times in the first half alone, leading by as many as six points and trailing by seven throughout the first 20 minutes. The teams entered the halftime with Saint Mary's holding just a one-point, 30-29 advantage.
The Scots got the first basket out of the locker room on a Megan Hoblet layup to gain the advantage but a three-pointer from SMC's Alison Kessler put the Belles up by two. Ashley Matuzak (Saginaw/Nouvel Catholic) tied things up for the fourth time in the game from close range. But Saint Mary's gained the lead on the ensuring possession - and they never let it go. Their lead surged to 11 points with 4:33 remaining - and then neither team could find paydirt for the next three minutes as the Scots missed two chances and gave Saint Mary's five chances while the Belles converted on just one, at the 1:35 mark to go up 13 points.
Alma forced 12 Saint Mary's turnovers in the first half alone and coughed it up just six times, gaining 11 points off Saint Mary's miscues. It reversed in the second half as the Belles forced eight Alma turnovers and Saint Mary's turned the ball over just half as many times.
The Maroon and Cream got generous point production from the post, out-scoring the Belles 32-18 in the paint, but the Saint Mary's bench was productive, scoring 13 points to just five from the Scots.
Matuzak led the Scots with 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists while Megan Hoblet (Cadillac) recorded her seventh consecutive double-digit scoring performance with 15 points. She added three rebounds - and eight of Alma's 14 turnovers. Senior Emily Niemi (Skandia/Gwinn) added eight points and four rebounds in her final game for the Maroon and Cream.
