by HILLSBORO, Kan. Coming off an impressive overtime win at Kansas Wesleyan and a weather delay that moved Wednesday’s game to Thursday, Tabor hosted the Eagles of Avila University in hopes of putting some distance between themselves and the Eagles, along with about three other teams, in the KCAC in the race for second place. Avila had other ideas and snuck out of Hillsboro with a 67-64 win over Tabor.
Avila grabbed the quick 2-0 lead on their opening possession. Sammy Jo Peterson (SR/Cottonwood Falls, Kan.) scored five of Tabor’s first seven points to put the Bluejays up 7-2 just minutes into the contest. Julissa Garcia (SR/Ponca City, Okla.) made a nice pass inside to Kasey Rice (Pawnee Nation) for the bucket with 1:55 left in the opening quarter, giving Tabor a 14-8 lead. Avila ended the quarter on a 7-2 run to cut Tabor’s lead to just one, 16-15, after the first 10 minutes of play.
The Eagles used a strong start to the second period to grab a 27-16 lead over the first 4:30 of the period. Tabor finally broke through offensively after Kasey Rice grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a bucket at the midway mark of the second quarter.
After four straight points by the Bluejays, a three-point shot by the Eagles gave them their first double-digit lead (30-20) of the night with 2:25 left in the half. Each team could only post a single bucket over the last 2:25 to make the score at the half 32-22 in favor of Avila.
The Bluejays struggled out of the break, not capitalizing on opportunities to cut into the Eagle lead. Avila used two shots from beyond the arc to build a 38-22 lead before Alyvia Owens (SO/Hutchinson, Kan.) scored inside for the Bluejays.
Tabor started to gain ground over the next several possessions. Sammy Jo Peterson started the Bluejays with a three ball off an inbounds play. Kasey Rice recorded another offensive rebound and converted two free throws after being fouled trying to score inside. Ja’Neysha Hendricks (FR/Topeka, Kan.) fast break attack on the rim resulted in two more free throws for the Bluejays, cutting Avila’s lead back to single digits (40-31) with 4:00 left in the third.
Tabor inched closer on their next two possessions. Hendrix converted two more free throws and Alyvia Owens completed the traditional three-point play to pull the Bluejays to within four (42-38) with 1:29 remaining in the quarter. Kasey Rice‘s layup off the glass as the buzzer sounded brought the score to 46-40, Eagles, heading into the final period.
Kassidy Beam (FR/McPherson, Kan.) brought the game back to a single possession (52-50) midway through the final period when a fastbreak drive resulted in two free throws. On the Bluejays next possession, Ja’Neysha Hendrix dumped the ball inside to Alyvia Owens to tie the game at 52 with just over four minutes left in regulation.
Six quick Eagle points after a timeout put Avila back up 58-52 before Kasey Rice‘s right wing three brought the score back to 58-55, Avila. Trailing 60-55, Teegan Werth (FR/Hillsboro, Kan.) found a good time to record her first three of the night on a three ball in front of the Bluejay bench. Tabor was back within two (60-58) with 1:40 to go.
Kasey Rice‘s bid to tie the game came up just a point short when her second of two free throws rimmed out, leaving the Bluejays down one (60-59). Both teams traded baskets and with 17 seconds left the score was in favor of the visitors, 62-61.
Down two points but with the ball, a costly turnover gave the ball back to the Eagles with just 10 seconds left. Avila made two free throws to extend the lead to 65-61. A foul midcourt sent Sammy Jo Peterson to the line with seven seconds left. Peterson made the first and rebounded her own miss on the second, converting the bucket to pull Tabor within one (65-64) with three seconds left. Avila knocked down two free throws to pull out the 67-64 win at Tabor.
Tabor was led in scoring by Kasey Rice with 17, followed by Sammy Jo Peterson’s 16 and Alyvia Owens chipped in 15. Owens was also the team leader on the boards with eight. Peterson led the team with three steals while Rice and Julissa Garcia each dished out two assists.
Tabor committed 22 turnovers on the night. The Bluejays had the edge on the boards (34-26) and shot 55.6% from the three-point arc. The second quarter, coupled with Tabor’s miscues, was the difference in the game. Avila outscored the Bluejays 17-6 in the second.
