The Alma Women's Basketball looked to start a league winning streak as they hosted Trine University on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, the Thunder had different ideas as the road team came from behind to defeat the Scots, 62-59, at Cappaert Gymnasium. The loss dropped Alma to 2-4 in the MIAA and 3-12 overall, while Trine improved to 2-4 in the league and 7-8 for the season.
The game was close through the first ten minutes, with four ties, the last being at 10:49, when Jr. F Sydney Beckwith (Weidman, MI/Beal City) made two free throws to deadlock the game at 15-15. However, the Scots outscored the Thunder by a margin of 20-8 during the rest of the half and took a 12-point lead, at 35-23, into halftime.
Trine came out flying in the second half, scoring the first six points, cutting the Alma lead to 35-29, just 31 seconds into the frame. The Scots answered back when Sr. G Lauren Hasler (Mt. Pleasant, MI/Sacred Heart) hit a three-pointer a few seconds later.
The Thunder was a determined bunch though and fought all the way back, tying the game at 41-41, when Liz Gehrig connected on a shot from behind the arc at the 12:39 mark. The contest was tied six more times as each team fought tooth and nail, attempting to capture the win.
After the 11th tie of the game at 54-54, with 3:01 left, Alma managed a 59-56 lead when Sr. G Lacey Best-Rowden (Lansing, MI/Waverly) hit a free throw with 46 seconds remaining. Trine then scored the final six points of the game, taking the final 62-59 advantage on two free throws by Haley Killingbeck with two seconds left in the game.
Before the free throws, the Scots had an opportunity to take the lead, but had trouble getting the ball inbounds, leading to a foul and the game-clinching charity stripe shots by Killingbeck. For the game, each team shot 38.6% from the field, and the game saw a total of 45 personal fouls, illustrating the intensity of the contest.
"It is difficult to lose a big lead at home, especially in a league game," said Alma Head Coach Keisha Brown. "I think the game exposed our inexperience in closing out an opponent, but I believe the girls competed hard, and we will learn from this outcome."
The Scots were led by Beckwith's career-high 24 points and Best-Rowden's career-best 10 assists in the losing effort. Beckwith and Sr. F Meagan Hoblet (Cadillac, MI/Cadillac) each had three steals, and Beckwith paced the Scots with 11 rebounds. Sr. F Kathyrn Bigelow (Alma, MI/Alma) was next with five boards, and Hoblet added four for Alma.
