Pride strong fourth quarter bookends 67-54 win over MidAmerica Nazarene
DUBUQUE, Iowa - In their first home game in 14 days, the Clarke University women's basketball team was able to power through a mid-game comeback to earn a 67-54 victory over MidAmerica Nazarene University on Saturday afternoon in the Kehl Center.
CU used a powerful 21-8 first quarter then finished off the win with a 26-18 fourth quarter after the Pioneers had cut the game as close as three points at 36-39 with just about a minute remaining in the third quarter but starting with a Taylor Norris bucket with the clock winding down in the period, Clarke would end up going on a 10-2 run extending between the two quarters to push their lead to 49-38.
The closest MNU would come for the remainder of the fourth quarter was getting the next basket to cut it to a nine-point game but after a Nicole McDermott layup quickly after, the Pride would maintain a double digit advantage for the final nearly seven minutes of the contest.
McDermott finished with her team-leading sixth double-double of the season as she had 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds as she was joined in the double-double party by Taylor Haase who had a team-high 15 points and 10 rebounds with Izzie Peterson being the final player for CU to finish in double figures, finishing with 10 points while adding two assists, and two rebounds.
After trading baskets through the first minute of the game to a 4-4 score, Clarke would go on an 11-0 run over the next four minutes of the half and finish the period up 21-8 as the Pride shot 9-of-11 (81.8%) from the field in the quarter led by six from McDermott and four from both Haase and Norris
Mid-game adjustments, including switching to a zone defense allowed the Pioneers to climb back to that previously mentioned three-point deficit late in the third quarter as Clarke's offense came back down to earth, shooting just 3-of-17 (17.6%) in the second quarter in just a seven-point effort then going 5-of-14 (35.7%) to be outscored 15-13 in the third.
Kameron Green and Madison Haney were the only players in double figures for MNU as Green had a game-high 18 points on 9-of-17 (52.9%) shooting while adding three rebounds while Haney did a majority of her work from the free throw line as she scored 10 points on 6-of-8 (75%) from the free throw line and 2-of-3 (66.7%) from the field as she grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
Clarke women's basketball will prepare for their final game of 2023 when they host a rematch against non-conference opponent in St. Ambrose University for a 6:00 p.m. CT tip against the Fighting Bees on Friday, Dec. 22.