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35-1

Lady Eagles set new standard for women's basketball

Posted 3/21/23

After erasing a 12-point halftime deficit, the No 1. Central Methodist women tied the game twice in the second half of the NAIA semifinal game against defending NAIA National Champion Thomas More …

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35-1

Lady Eagles set new standard for women's basketball

Posted

After erasing a 12-point halftime deficit, the No 1. Central Methodist women tied the game twice in the second half of the NAIA semifinal game against defending NAIA National Champion Thomas More Friday night. Ultimately, the Lady Eagles lost a heartbreaker, 71-61. It was their only loss of the season, which concludes with a school best 35-1 overall record.

Friday’s loss marks the second straight defeat Central has suffered to the Saints in the past two years, both coming in the national semifinals. 

Central’s offense started out hot in the opening five minutes of the game, beginning the first quarter with an 11-5 lead. But the Saints quickly settled in and scored 10 straight points to take a 15-11 lead. 

Central trimmed the deficit to two on a made jumper from senior forward Robin Beck with 1:13 left in the quarter. 

Leading the Eagles 15-13 after one quarter, Thomas More outscored Central 26-16 in the second period on perfect 6-for-6 shooting from the 3-point arc. The Saints sank eight shots from beyond the arc in the first half to take a 41-29 advantage at halftime. 

Down 12 to start the third quarter, the Lady Eagles battled back with a 10-0 run over the five minutes to cut the lead to two. Central ultimately tied the game at 48-48 on a made jumper from Leianya Massenat.

Thomas More closed the quarter on a 6-2 scoring run to take a 54-50 lead into the final quarter. 

The opening five minutes of the final frame were low scoring, with just eight points netted between the two teams. Beck knocked down another jumper at the 5:24 mark to tie the game at 56-56.

Both squads exchanged buckets over the next two minutes and the game remained deadlocked at 58-58.

The Saints gauged their half-court offense on the participation of Central’s 6’3 sophomore Leah Johnson, who set up residence in the defensive paint. When she was in the game, they settled for 3-point shots, of which they made only one in the second half on nine attempts. Only when Johnson was out of the game—often sidelined in foul trouble—would they drive the lane.

But with one point separating the two teams in the fourth quarter and Johnson guarding the paint with four fouls, Thomas More took a chance. The Saints forced a crucial fifth foul with 2:14 left to play in the game, when 5’4 junior guard Rachel Martin drove inside and drew the whistle. She then sank two free throws to put her team in front by three with Central’s biggest player on the bench.

The Saints closed the game out on a 13-3 scoring run to solidify their second straight NAIA National Championship appearance.

Central saw four of its five starters land in double figures. Zutorya Cook led the way with 16 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor. She also added six rebounds, and two assists. 

Daryna Bachkarova tallied 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block in her final game as an Eagle.

Massenat secured 12 points in just under 25 minutes of action despite battling foul trouble in the early stages of the first half.

Johnson was the final Eagle to land in double figures with 10 points and eight rebounds. Her second bucket of the night put her at the 1,000-point milestone for her career in just three seasons with Central.

Bachkarova and Jaicia Canady played every available minute for Central, with Canady leading the rebounding efforts with 12 boards. The native of Fort Worth, Texas also chipped in three assists. 

Thomas More finished the evening shooting 42.6 percent from the floor, which included nine 3-point makes. CMU converted just two from the arc, one each by Bachkarova n Massenat.

The Eagles won the battle of the boards, grabbing 41 rebounds compared to 33 for the Saints.

Junior Alex Smith led the Saints with 16 points off the bench with three 3-point shots and 5-for-9 shooting from the field. Senior Emily Simon added with 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field. Senior Zoie Barth added 13 points on 7-for-8 free-throw shooting. Senior Courtney Hurst finished with 11 points on three 3-point baskets. 

Thomas More failed to defend its national title, falling 63-52 to second-seeded Clarke in Saturday’s championship.

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