Box Score CANTON, Ohio – Taking to the road for the first time in Great Midwest play, the Trevecca Nazarene University women's basketball team (1-8, 0-3 Great Midwest) fell to Malone University (6-1, 2-0 Great Midwest) on Thursday night in Osborne Hall.
GAME ESSENTIALS Standings | Statistics | Championship Central | Scores | Records
THE SERIES
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two squads did not meet during the 2020-21 spring season. The eighth all-time meeting favored the Pioneers who have never lost to the Trojans since 2016-17. Trevecca claimed all four NAIA contests over Malone.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite a perfect report from the free-throw line (6-for-6) in the opening stanza, the Trojans faced a five-point first-quarter deficit. The Pioneers shot nearly 62% from the field in part to their hot start. A pair of 3-pointers, a trio of layups, and a pair of free throws guided Malone out to a 14-11 advantage with 3:41 to play. With a chance to make it a single possession game, the Trojans turned the ball over on their final chance and trailed 22-17 after the first.
Led by Grace Baird's 3-point game the Trojans shot their way back into the game in the second period. In fact, Baird's 3-pointer at 8:07 gave the Trojans a 25-23 lead. Five quick points by Malone's Alexis Hutchison gave the hosts a 34-29 lead with just over two minutes to play. Keeley Carter answered on the other end with a 3-pointer with just over a minute to go, but the Pioneers closed the quarter connecting on three 3-pointers to take a 42-34 lead into the locker room.
Out of the break, the Trojans rallied behind Emma Palmer, who scored 10 of her 22 points in the third quarter, to help pull the Trojans within four, 63-59.
Palmer picked up right where she left off in the third, with the hot hand and basket to open things for Trevecca in the fourth. Then things turned defensive. After Robin Campbell's trey gave Malone back the lead, 67-66, for nearly three minutes neither team scored. Katie Tate's layup broke the drought and the Trojans led by one, 70-69 with under three minutes to play. In the end, with four seconds to go, Campbell sank another three to spoil the Trojans' chances of their first conference victory.
PLAYER PERFORMANCE
Playing her first true minutes since before Thanksgiving, Emma Palmer stuffed the box score with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds for her first career double-double. The freshman shot 10-for-17 from the field and added an assist for good measure.
TEAM STATS
The Trojans shot 50% from the floor and 40% from range. A near-perfect performance from the free-throw line (8-9) was not enough to lay claims to a victory. The Trojans outrebounded the Pioneers 32-26 and converted on eight more second-chance points in the defeat.
UP NEXT
The Trojans remain in the Buckeye state to face-off against Walsh University (5-2, 1-1 Great Midwest) on Saturday. Tipoff with the Great Midwest preseason favorite Cavaliers is set for 12:00 p.m.
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