MILWAUKEE – The Maranatha Baptist University Saber cats defeated the Mount Mary University basketball team tonight at the Bloechl Center. The Sabercats (9-1) won the rivalry contest 62-31 as the Blue Angels move to 4-13.
Nyasia Hardy (Fr./Fort Wayne, Ind.) kept the Blue Angels offense going against the Sabercats. The young point guard finished with six points after she went 3-of-6 from the field. Hardy pulled in a team leading six rebounds and added a pair of assists.
Teammate Lucy Pavelko (Sr./Muskego, Wis.) and Megan Johnson (Jr./Waukesha, Wis.) also added six points each. Johnson led the Blue Angels going 2-of-3 from outside the three-point line.
The Sabercats came out aggressive on both sides of the court in Thursday's game. MBU jumped out to a 14-0 lead and held the Blue Angels off the scoreboard until Nyasia Hardy sliced through the lane with 3:29 left to go in the first quarter to score MMU's first points. After the slow start, the Blue Angels closed out the frame scoring four more points.
MMU turned around in the second quarter and limited their turnovers as they attacked the basket. In addition to forcing the Sabercats into four team turnovers, the Blue Angels hit from the free throw line as they scored nine points in the second quarter. Megan Johnson led the scoring in the second with a three-pointer with two minutes remaining in the half.
With a 31-15 lead after the half, the Sabercats added to their lead in the third when the Blue Angels hit 1-of-8 from the field. While also turning the ball over seven times in the quarter, MMU forced their opponent into six third-quarter turnovers of their own to help slow the opposing offense. But the Sabercats went 6-of-18 from the field and outscored the Blue Angels 14-6 in the frame.
The Blue Angels had their best offensive quarter in the final frame. Out of the ten points scored in the frame, six came off the bench. Deovian Young (Jr./Milwaukee, Wis.) scored her first points as a Blue Angel in the fourth with a deep three-pointer. Teammate Nyasia Hardy led the quarter's scoring with four points.
Although the Blue Angels forced six MBU turnovers, the Sabercats took the 62-31 victory.
After tonight's contest, the Blue Angels will return to the Bloechl next Tuesday to take on the Holy Family College Lakers. Check out MtMaryAthletics.com for more details and news.
