OWENSBORO, Ky. - The Trevecca Nazarene University women's basketball team (6-6) kept it close in the first half, but the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers (17-4) pulled away in the second half to take a 76-54 victory in the quarterfinal round of the Great Midwest Tournament.
The elimination game will end Trevecca's season with a 6-6 record, in head coach Chad Hibdon's fifth season at the helm.
GAME ESSENTIALS (G-MAC WBK Standings | Statistics | Championship Central | G-MAC Scores | Records | Weekly Awards
SERIES HISTORY/NOTES
After the 19th game between Trevecca and Kentucky Wesleyan, the Panthers now lead the Trojans 14-5 all-time in the series.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The game had the makings of a shootout early on, as Haley Vesey knocked down a three-pointer to give the Trojans a 9-8 lead with 5:40 to play in the first quarter. Things slowed down, however, and Vesey would score another bucket to give Trevecca an 11-8 lead, but the Trojans surrendered six straight points to trail 14-11 after the first quarter. Trevecca took another lead early in the second quarter with a bucket by Olivia Pepperman to lead 15-14 with 8:03 to play before halftime, and another three-pointer by Vesey with 4:49 in the second quarter gave Trevecca a 23-22 advantage. However, this would be the final lead Trevecca would hold on the night. The Panthers closed out the half with a 9-1 run to take a 31-24 lead into the locker room.
The Kentucky Wesleyan run continued into the third quarter, as the Panthers led 35-24 before Keeley Carter got Trevecca back on the board with a short-range jumper to make it 35-26 with 8:43 to go in the third quarter. This is where the Panthers really began to pull away, ripping off a 14-2 run to lead 49-28 with over five minutes to play in the third quarter. Carter scored the final three points of the quarter for the Trojans, but Kentucky Wesleyan held a 61-35 lead heading into the final ten minutes.
The Trojans outscored the Panthers 19-15 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough as Kentucky Wesleyan held a comfortable lead throughout to secure the 76-54 win and move on to the Great Midwest Tournament semifinals.
PLAYER STATS REPORT
Freshman Keeley Carter led the way for Trevecca with 21 points on seven-of-11 shooting paired with eight rebounds. Olivia Pepperman added 12 points on six-of-14 shooting and six rebounds in her final game as a Trojan, and Haley Vesey knocked down three three-pointers on seven attempts to score 11 total as the third Trojan in double figures. Kaitlynn Wilks chipped in five points, Faith Wilken scored three, and Alex McFarlin scored two for the Trojans.
Four Panthers scored in double figures, led by Jordan Barga with 15 points on three-of-four shooting. Seven of Barga's 15 points came from the free throw line, and she added eight rebounds. Emma Johnson scored 13 points, Kaylee Clifford scored 12, and Leah Richardson added 11 for Kentucky Wesleyan.
TEAM STATS BREAKDOWN
Trevecca finished the game 21-of-55 overall (38.2%), but had a slow night from the three-point line, hitting only four of 17 attempts (23.5%). The Trojans turned it over 19 times and registered only eight assists.
Kentucky Wesleyan was 23-of-57 from the floor (40%) and 10-of-31 from beyond the arc (32.3%). The Panthers out-rebounded Trevecca 46-26.
WHAT'S NEXT
With the 2020-2021 season in the books, head coach Chad Hibdon will turn his attention to the offseason.
Trevecca will finish the season with a 6-6 record overall and 6-5 in Great Midwest play.
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