Defiance, Ohio - The Alma College women's basketball team earned its first win of the year on Tuesday evening, an 84-69 decision at Defiance College. The Scots are now 1-7 on the year while Defiance falls to 2-8.

Alma boasted the game's top three scorers: Madeline Barnauskas (Livonia, Mich. / Dearborn Divine Child) posted 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting, a career-high 4-of-6 from three-point range and 4-of-5 from the line. Chloee King (Standish, Mich. / Standish-Sterling Central) scored a career-high 20 points, tying her career-high with four made threes and going 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Emily Eldridge (Battle Creek, Mich. / Battle Creek Lakeview) also posted a new career-high with 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting.

Alma tallied substantially better rebounding numbers, as well, grabbing 42 boards to the Yellow Jackets' 29. Eldridge and Jeny Brandt (Escanaba, Mich. / Escanaba) led that category for the Scots, each posting 11.

Lauren Rogers and Ashley Lee each scored 13 points to lead Defiance. Whitney Schalk had six assists and Danielle Carruthers grabbed seven rebounds.

How It Happened

• Alma won each quarter, except the third, which it tied. The first quarter was both back-and-forth and high-scoring; Alma closed the frame with a 25-23 lead after seven lead changes in the first ten minutes. An 8-0 run helped the Scots to its lead as Barnauskas hit two three-pointers during the run. She led all players with eight points in the frame. Alma assisted on nine of its 10 made field goals and outrebounded Defiance 12-4 in the quarter.
• The second quarter was made up of two runs. The first was a 16-3 run by the Scots that went from the start of the quarter to the 3:51 mark on a layup by Brandt. Defiance closed the half on a 7-0 run.
• Alma began the second half behind an 8-0 by Barnauskas and Brandt. Barnauskas connected on two three-pointers and Brandt added a layup. However, the Yellow Jackets nullified Alma's scoring punch to close the gap to eight by the end of the third quarter, the same amount it trailed by to start the quarter.
• The Scots extended their lead in the fourth with an 8-1 run, in which Eldridge scored six points. Alma opened up its biggest lead of the game of 17 with 1:32 remaining. The team shot 8-of-12 from the field in the final ten minutes to close out the game.

Notables

• Eighty-four points is the most Alma has scored all year. Its previous season-high was 70 against Adrian.
• In addition to either posting or tying her career-highs in points, three-pointers and free throws, King also notched a season-high seven assists, one shy of her career-high, and tied her career-high with five steals.
• The Scots committed 14 turnovers in the game, the fewest of any game this season.
• Alma made 30 of 59 shots (50.8-percent), the most field goals and highest shooting percentage it has posted all year.
• Alma made eight three-pointers, setting a new season-high.
• Emily Long (Dayton, Ohio / Arch Bishop Alter) and Ashtyn Maniez (St. Louis, Mich. / St. Louis) dished out a career-high four assists. Maniez also set a new season-high with two steals.
• Brandt set new career-highs in points (11) and minutes (26).

Up Next

The Scots travel to Adrian, Mich., to play NAIA team Siena Heights on Friday, Dec. 22. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Contact: Zach Russo, Assistant Sports Information Director