The Alma Women's Basketball team closed out the 2008-09 home portion of their schedule on Saturday, in grand fashion. The Scots defeated Adrian College in a thrilling contest, by a score of 63-61, at Cappaert Gymnasium on a snowy, windy Mid-Michigan afternoon.
The victory improved Alma to 9-15 overall and 7-9 in the MIAA, ensuring them a visit to Calvin College on Tuesday evening, for the first round of the league playoffs. Adrian finished the regular season campaign at 14-10 and was also 7-9 in the league and will travel to St. Mary's College for the first round.
The game saw 11 lead changes, with seven tied scores and neither team led by more than seven points. Adrian seemed to have the upper hand most of the afternoon, but Alma refused to quit and was able to come away with the victory on a day that honored the team's lone Senior, G Heather Keenan (Charlotte, MI/Charlotte).
It was a competitive first half that saw Alma's biggest lead be two points at 6-4 and their last lead being 10-9 at the 12:02 mark, when Jr. F Meagan Hoblet (Cadillace, MI) was good on a jumper. Adrian outscored the Scots by a margin of 19-11 over the next eight minutes to take a seven-point lead at 28-21. Alma fought back and ended the half on a jumper by Jr. F Kathryn Bigelow (Alma, MI/Alma) with 14 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to the half-ending 32-30 score.
Three and half minutes into the final frame, the Scots took a one-point lead at 37-36, when Fr. C Aubrey Maxa (Saginaw, MI/Saginaw) completed a three-point play. The Bulldogs then went on a 13-5 run to get a 49-42 advantage with 9:26 remaining in the game.
After Adrian hit a lay-up for a 51-44 lead one minute later, the Scots ran off the next seven points and tied the game on a jumper by Alma So. F Sydney Beckwith (Weidman, MI/Beal City). There were two more ties in the game until Beckwith was good on a lay-up for the Scots and a 59-57 lead with 3:08 left.
The Scots opened up their biggest lead at six points, when Hoblet hit a lay-up for a 63-57 advantage at the 1:06 mark. Two Bulldog baskets made the score 63-61 and Adrian was helped by two Alma missed free throws on the front ends of the one and one. The Bulldogs took possession of the ball after a time-out with seven seconds left in the game. A jumper by Adrian F Megan Bouwens came up short as time ran out, and Alma walked off the court with the victory.
For the game, Alma shot 42% (13 of 31), including just two of 14 from three-point land, while Adrian finished at 43% (12 of 28) and was three of 16 beyond the arc. Adrian had 12 turnovers to Alma's nine, but finished ahead on the boards by a margin of 42-40. The Scots blocked five Bulldog shots, to just one for Adrian.
Hoblet led the Scots with 18 points and added eight rebounds and two blocked shots, while Bigelow cleaned the boards with 10 rebounds and had two blocks and four points. Beckwith finished with 10 points and six rebounds, while Maxa had 10 points and four rebounds on the day. Keenan, in her last regular season home game for the Scots, had eight points and four rebounds and Jr. G Lacey Best-Rowden (Lansing, MI/Waverly) contributed eight points, and a team-high five assists.
Alma's game with Calvin, who the Scots have beaten twice in overtime this season, will be at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening. If they win, they will play on Thursday evening in the MIAA Semi-Finals.
