Pride return to action with New Year's Eve win over St. Ambrose

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Getting back onto the court for their second half of the 2022-23 season, the Clarke University women's basketball team cruised to a 65-52 win over St. Ambrose University on Saturday afternoon.

Leading by as many as 35 during the third quarter, the Pride were able to spread out their second half minutes well with nobody playing more than 27 minutes for CU and 14 players seeing the floor with no less than four minutes of action for anyone.

Clarke built up that lead with a first half margin of 43-20 after outscoring the Fighting Bees 26-11 in the first quarter then 17-9 in the second. In that first half, the Pride shot 48.4 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range, and a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line while limiting SAU to 19.2 percent from the field and forcing 13 turnovers.

The leading scorers for CU were Mya Merschman and Tina Ubl, who both finished with 12 points as Merschman scored all 12 of her points in the first half on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the three point arc while Ubl scored all 12 of her points in the middle quarters of the game with seven in the second and five in the third.

Taylor Haase was close behind those two with 11 points off the bench while both Emma Kelchen and Giana Michels scored nine points as Skylar Culbertson finished with five points, seven assists, and two rebounds in 23 minutes.

The game's leading scorer came from St. Ambrose as Mel Stewart finished with 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field and grabbed three rebounds in 31 minutes.

With this game, Clarke women's basketball wrapped up their non-conference schedule as they will get back to Heart play next Tuesday when they host Baker University for another 12:00 p.m. CT tip.