Alma, Mich. - The Alma College women's basketball team won its third straight game to close the season on Saturday, Feb. 17 afternoon, 51-49 over Adrian. Alma had a 19 point lead at halftime and held on to secure the victory.

Alma (5-20, 3-13 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) was led by freshman Emily Eldridge (Battle Creek, Mich. / Battle Creek Lakeview), who scored 15 points including seven from the free throw line. Senior Chloee King (Standish, Mich. / Standish-Sterling Central) scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds, while freshman Jeny Brandt (Escanaba, Mich. / Escanaba) put up nine points, eight boards and four blocks off the bench.

Adrian's Ashley Morris led all scorers with 20 points. She and Eldridge were the only two players in double figures.

How It Happened

• The Scots shot 10-of-17 from the field in the first quarter while holding Adrian to 5-of-14. Six players scored for Alma, led by Charley Hengesbach (Saginaw, Mich. / Nouvel Catholic Central) with six points. Up 12-9, the Scots scored 11 of the next 14 points to take an 11 point lead into the second quarter.
• Both teams struggled from the field in the second quarter, shooting a combined 6-of-28. Eldridge posted seven points in the frame as Alma went on an 11-2 run to close the half with a 37-18 lead.
• Adrian bounced back in the second half, outscoring the Scots 31-14. A 7-0 run at the end of the quarter brought the Bulldogs to within 15 going into the fourth. Their momentum continued into the fourth quarter when they went on a 15-2 run over a 5:22 span to cut the deficit to two. Alma would score the next four points to get its lead back up to six after two buckets by Brandt. Adrian responded with a basket at 1:53 and two free throws at 36 seconds, but two missed three-pointers and a missed layup on their final possessions would give Alma its third straight win.

Notables

• Charley Hengesbach ends the regular season with 2.0 blocks per game, tied for first in the conference.
• Hengesbach also has 49 blocks as a freshman, the third-most in a single season in program history.
• Jeny Brandt averages 1.4 blocks per game, tied for sixth in the MIAA, giving her the seventh-best single season in blocks in program history.
• Madison Hill (Midland, Mich. / Bullock Creek) has tallied 104 assists this season, good for 4.5 per game and second in the MIAA.
• Hill's assist total is the seventh most in program history.Chloee King had one block in the game. She has two blocks in her last two games, doubling her season total up until that point.
• Ashtyn Maniez (St. Louis, Mich. / St. Louis) tallied three steals, a new season-high.
• Seven free throws is a career-high for Eldridge.

Contact: Zach Russo, Assistant Sports Information Director