Late-Game Struggles Doom Statesmen Against Mustangs
Oskaloosa–The William Penn women’s basketball team was a mixed bag of results Wednesday, falling to Mount Mercy 77-67 in Heart of America Athletic Conference action.
WPU (3-22, 3-11 Heart), which had to forfeit to Mount Mercy last month due to COVID, was exceptional in the odd-numbered quarters, but was not able to perform at the same level in the even-numbered stanzas.
The Statesmen were on fire to begin the evening, rolling out to an 11-2 lead less than four minutes in. Morgan Terry (Jr., Cornersville, Tenn., Biology) had a pair of layups and two free throws, while Zantasia White (Jr., Lubbock, Texas, Secondary Education) knocked down a three-pointer and had a layup of her own.
Unfortunately, MMU (11-14, 8-6 Heart) answered to pull within four at 19-15 after 10 minutes of play. Terry (10) and White (7) accounted for all but two points for the Statesmen at that juncture.
Terry, who finished with 22 points, added six more in the second quarter, but the Mustangs made two trifectas in the waning seconds of the half to grab a 42-35 advantage at intermission.
Following a long ball by Alexis True (Fr., Frankfort, Ky., Exercise Science) to open the third and another jumper from Terry, William Penn was within four at 44-40. Mount Mercy then notched five straight of its own to go up nine with 8:14 remaining in the quarter.
With the game slipping out of their hands, the Statesmen bounced back with a huge 15-0 run over the next 3:25 to lead 55-49. Ally Stewart (Jr., Victoria, Australia, Physical Education) headlined the spurt with back-to-back three-pointers.
The good times were short-lived, however, as the Mustangs rattled off six unanswered and the teams headed to the final period deadlocked at 58-58.
Terry, who was on the bench for much of the third due to an early third foul, made her presence again felt with consecutive layups to keep WPU even at 62-62. White then accounted for her team’s next four points to give the Statesmen their final lead at 66-64 with 6:07 left in regulation.
Unfortunately, the home team went as bitterly cold as the weather outside Penn Gymnasium. Mount Mercy was not all that successful either, but made enough plays to eventually turn a two-point deficit into a six-point advantage inside the final minute. The Mustangs then tacked on a few more free throws in the end to secure the victory.
In the setback, WPU was outshot 50.0%-43.1% and outrebounded 35-27.
Terry was 9-for-12 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line; overall, the Statesmen were 10-for-12 at the charity stripe.
White joined her in double figures with 15 and also stole three passes. Stewart scored all of her points from behind the arc, nailing a trio of three-pointers for nine points.
True did not possess a shooter’s touch, but still grinded her way to eight points and gave a triple-double a real scare, adding seven rebounds and seven assists. Journie Augmon (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., Human Services) contributed six points as well.
Both teams committed 14 turnovers Wednesday.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Maryville, Mo. Saturday to compete in the Northwest Missouri State Open Friday and Saturday.
