Grand Rapids, Mich.– The Alma College women's basketball team lost, 70-35, to the Aquinas College Saints Saturday (Dec. 29). The Scots fall to under .500 on the season with an overall record of 6-7. While NAIA affiliate Aquinas moves to 11-5 on the year. 

What Happened

• The game was close for the first eight minutes of the game. Sophomore forward Charley Hengesbach (Saginaw, Mich. / Nouvel Catholic Central) put the Scots on the board when she grabbed an offensive rebound and dished it off the glass and in. 
• Senior forward Madeline Barnauskas (Livonia, Mich. / Dearborn Divine Child) started her 14-point scoring day with a three pointer just outside the arc. The score was 9-8 in favor of the Saints heading into the final two minutes of the first quarter but Aquinas finished off the period with an 8-0 run to take control. 
• The Saints continued to increase their lead in the second as the Scots went cold for much of the quarter. The third quarter was the same story. Freshman guard Aubrey Boos (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Kenowa Hills) scored her first collegiate points when she hit a layup late in the period. 
• The Scots found their scoring touch when they started the fourth on a 10-2 run that was capped off by a three by junior guard Hannah Syme (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Forest Hills Eastern). But, in the end, the Saints lead was too large to overcome. 

Notables 

• Barnauskas led the team with her 14 points. The senior leads the Scots this season averaging just under 10 a game. 
• Sophomore center Jeny Brandt (Escanaba, Mich. / Escanaba) had a game-high seven rebounds. She leads Alma and ranks sixth in the MIAA with 76 on the year. 
• Sophomore forward Emily Long (Dayton, Ohio / Arch Bishop Alter) grabbed a season-high six rebounds with four of them coming on the offensive end. 
• Alma out blocked Aquinas, 4-2, Brandt had three on the day. 

Up Next 

The Scots non-conference season is over. As the calendar turns to the new year Alma looks forward to opening conference play on the road at Kalamazoo College on Wednesday (Jan. 2). Tip off set for 7:30 p.m.