HANCOCK, Mich. – The Mount Mary University basketball team lost to host Finlandia University today at the Paavo Nurmi Center. The Lions (10-11) won 65-47 after leading by 11 over the Blue Angels (5-16) at halftime.
"Short handed," emphasized Mount Mary University Head Basketball Coach John Baillie. "The team played a tough defensive focused game and struggled to get going on the offensive end."
Rae Grubbs (Sr./Covington, Ind.) led the Blue Angels in their match against their American Collegiate Athletic Association rival Finlandia: the Lions were members of both the Association of Division III Independents and the Great South Athletic Conference during the same times as MMU Basketball. Grubbs is the program's single-season record holder for most made three-pointers in a season, the senior guard added two more three-pointers onto her season total of 43. Grubbs went 2-of-6 from downtown on her way to 12 points.
Erica Williams (Jr./Bloomington, Ill.) added her ninth double-double of the season tonight against the Lions. Williams pulled in a team high 14 rebounds and went 5-of-8 from the free throw line on her way to 11 points. Williams is just two double-doubles away from tying personal season-record of 11 that she set last season.
The Lions came out in the first quarter aggressive. In the first ten minutes, Finlandia went to the free throw line seven times. After hitting five from the charity-stripe and 2-7 from outside, the Lions took an early 13-7 lead going into the second quarter.
Struggling in the first quarter, the Blue Angels got their offense going in the second when MMU went 4-of-13 from the field. Nearly doubling their field goal percentage, the Blue Angels scored 10 points in the second to their opponent's 15.
MMU's offense continued to improve in the second half. After only going to the free throw line twice in the second quarter, the Blue Angels were finally able to earn their trips to the line in the third. MMU hit 5-of-8 from the free throw line and shot 28.6 percent from the field in the frame, but the Lions had their best offensive quarter of the game as they hit 61.5 percent from the field and went up 50-31 going into the final frame.
The Blue Angels continued to attack the basket in the fourth quarter and earned 11 free throws for their effort. Along with hitting 54.5 percent from the charity-stripe in the final quarter, MMU went 2-of-6 from outside the three-point line for their best offensive quarter of the night. Although MMU outscored the Lions 16-15, the Finlandia took the win 65-47.
MMU Basketball returns to action next week when they head to Watertown, Wis. to take on rival Maranatha Baptist University. MMU is set to take on the Sabercats Tues. Feb. 11 at 7:00 PM. Check out MtMaryAthletics.com for links and details.
