Women's Basketball showed plenty of determination Saturday afternoon, picking up a win despite trailing most of the contest.
The Ravens fought back to defeat the Mount Mercy University Mustangs, 68-62, in Atchison.
While the Mustangs held a lead for the majority of the game, the Ravens finally got over the hump with 7 minutes left to play. Kyra Misuraca's basked leveled the score 49-49, then she scored again to give the Ravens a 2-point lead – their first since the third minute of the game.
Later, Alleigh Kramer found a sprinting Aaliyah Raines for a fastbreak basket. Raines was fouled and, though she missed the free throw, the Ravens retained possession and score on an offensive put-back by Grace Dixon to take a 5-point lead with 5 minutes to play.
Kennedy Nicholson drilled two daggers late in the quarter, sinking back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Ravens a 63-54 lead. The Ravens went on to close out the 6-point win.
Raines scored 14 points to lead Ravens while also grabbing 9 rebounds. Nicholson scored 13, Grace Dixon added 10, and Kramer had 6 points and 5 assists. The Ravens outrebounded the Mustangs 48-34.
The Ravens pounded the boards in the opening quarter, grabbing 15 rebounds with 8 of those on the offensive end. However, they shot just 33% from the field and had 4 turnovers in the first quarter, falling behind 21-15 after 10 minutes of play.
The Ravens found themselves behind 28-18 in the second quarter but battled back. Makayla Baughman and Nicholson knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, and Kramer had two steals resulting in two fastbreak baskets as the Ravens cut the Mustangs lead to 33-31 by halftime.
The Ravens defense also upped the intensity in the second quarter. After the Mustangs scored 21 in the opening 10 minutes, the Ravens full-court pressure slowed MMU down and held the visitors to 12 points in the second quarter.
A slow start to the Ravens second half was snapped when Nicholson scored and was fouled, converting the traditional 3-point play. The Ravens and Mustangs traded baskets back-and-forth in the closing minutes of the quarter, with Mount Mercy clinging to a 46-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Ravens grabbed the lead early in the fourth, though, and were able to close out the win.
The Ravens (8-16 overall, 5-13 Heart) will travel to Nebraska to take on the Peru State Bobcats Wednesday, Feb. 8.
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