Statesmen Held Down by Missouri Valley
Oskaloosa, Iowa – November 01: during a NAIA women’s college basketball matchup between the Viterbo University V-Hawks and the William Penn University Statesmen at Penn Gymnasium on Wednesday, Nov. 01, 2023. (Photo by Jordan Lester/William Penn Athletics)
WPU (2-8, 1-5 Heart) was outshot 47.9%-38.5% and outrebounded 45-39 on the road as it failed to hand MVC (7-1, 5-0 Heart) its first league blemish of the year.
Mercer Roberts (Sr., Myrtle Beach, S.C., Wellness and Recreation) scored the first two baskets of the afternoon, but it was unfortunately mostly downhill from there with the visitors trailing 19-11 after the first quarter of action.
The navy and gold closed to within three at 29-26 on a three-pointer by Ally Stewart (Sr., Victoria, Australia, Sports Management) midway through the second stanza and then within two on another Roberts’ layup. Unfortunately, the Vikings responded and led 46-37 at intermission.
The first several minutes of the third period are ones WPU will likely wish to forget as MVC went on a 14-2 run to put the game out of reach. The visitors, however, did respond with a 12-4 run of their own to get the score back to a more reasonable 65-51 entering the fourth and final quarter.
The Statesmen would not make up any more ground, though, in a game where they committed 18 turnovers (11 for MVC) which led to a 17-8 deficit in points off turnovers. WPU’s rebounding deficiency also turned into a 19-5 margin in second-chance points for the hosts.
Roberts headlined William Penn with 14 points, while the duo of Faith Putz (Jr., Urbandale, Iowa, Business Management) and Alyssa Hames (Jr., Ackley, Iowa, Psychology) both managed 11 points. Hames recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds as well.
Stewart also hit double digits with 10 points, while Feagins added nine off the bench. Aliyah Myers (Sr., Wichita, Kan., Business Management), who was limited to four points, made her mark in other ways with nine assists and three steals.
“It is hard to see it because of the outcome, but we are growing and doing a lot of things better than we were just a week or two ago,” Head Coach Joe McKinstry said. “We will continue to work and get better. I have no doubt that our best basketball is ahead of us.”
Next Up: William Penn will travel to Baldwin City, Kan. next Saturday to face Baker in Heart play at 12 p.m.
