Lady Lancers Lose Conference Opener
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
MISHAWAKA - With just eight players available for head coach Lori Wynn, the Grace College women's basketball team has had to find creative ways to win basketball games.
In the Lady Lancers' last four games, the team has won three times, playing nothing but zone defense.
That zone defense has frustrated opponents during the streak. IPFW launched 48 three-pointers in a late December game with Grace. Indiana Tech was held to 19 first-half points and 19 percent shooting in the first half in a loss to the Lancers Monday night.
However, Bethel College found a way to crack the zone Wednesday night in a 69-60 victory over the Lady Lancers in the Mid-Central Conference opener for both teams. The Pilots are receiving votes in the NAIA Division II poll and have a legitimate shot at second place in the conference, behind NAIA No. 1 St. Francis.
"There's a lot of positives from this," Wynn said about pushing Bethel for much of the game. "Our record is not really an indication of how good or bad we are. We play hard and we're getting better."
The Lady Lancers' 3-10 record includes an eight-game losing streak to start the season. That streak included two games in which the Lady Lancers lost by at least 30 points. But that rough start can be contributed to a group of players trying to learn a new system under a first-year coach. Wynn has begun to turn things around as the team has become more comfortable in her system.
Grace trailed Bethel 30-24 at the half despite four first-half three-pointers from sophomore point guard Kari Helmuth. Helmuth, who played at Leo High School, already has broken the school record for three-pointers in one game when she had six earlier this year.
Bethel extended the lead to 12 points early in the second half, but the Lancers quickly cut into that deficit. A jumper from Eve Arthur, who had a team-high 19 points, and a layup from Tracey Mantegna completed a 12-3 run that put the Lancers within three points at 44-41.
Grace trailed 50-45 before Bethel went on a 7-0 run to extend the lead back to double-figures. The Lancers never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Grace did shoot 63 percent in the second half, but had turnover problems. The Lancers committed 17 in the final 20 minutes and took 17
less shots than Bethel in the second half. That was the difference.
"We've made a little bit of progress with turnovers," Wynn said. "But
we took a few steps backwards tonight. They shot 71 times to our 45.
You're not going to win many games like that."
One positive for the Lancers was the continued improvement of Arthur.
She missed the beginning of the season as a member of the women's
soccer team and took a while to get comfortable in the system. But she
has come off the bench to score 36 points in the last two games and
led the team in scoring both times. Wednesday night, she was 6-of-8
from the floor, including 4-of-5 three-pointers. She also made all
three of her free-throw attempts.
"She's starting to understand the system," Wynn said. "She took good,
open shots and she didn't force much. She's going to make a nice
addition to what we're doing."
Grace will play at Marian Saturday at 3 p.m. That is a pivotal game as
both teams have started conference play 0-1. Grace ended seventh in
the MCC last year, while Marian ended in eighth. One of those teams
will move back to .500 with a win.
BETHEL 69, GRACE 60
Grace 24 36 - 60
Bethel 30 39 - 69
Grace - Amy Doron 3-9 4-7 10, Eleanor Marquis 0-4 2-2 2, Danielle
Mowery 0-1 4-4 4, Kari Helmuth 4-11 0-0 12, Tracey Mantegna 6-12 0-0
13, Eve Arthur 6-8 3-3 19, Total 19-45 13-16 60
Bethel - AJ Whitehead 5-12 2-5 12, Shaunte Calhoun 2-3 1-1 5, Liz
Hansen 1-3 0-0 2, Shallon Bowden 2-11 0-0 4, Marissa Cook 2-3 1-4 7,
Jodie Peden 0-1 0-0 0, Stacy Handschu 1-3 0-0 2, Jacque Unzicker 0-1
0-0 0, Joy Ketelsen 7-14 0-0 20, Jyll Dingman2-7 0-0 5, Alyse Shier
5-13 2-2 12, Total 27-71 6-12 69
Three-pointers - Grace 9-20 (Arthur 4-5, Helmuth 4-10, Mantegna 1-4,
Doron 0-1), Bethel 9-25 (Ketelsen 6-12, Cook 2-2, Dingman 1-4, Bowden
0-3, Handschu 0-2, Whitehead 0-1, Hansen 0-1). Rebounds - Grace 37
(Doron 14), Bethel 38 (Shier 11). Personal fouls -Grace 15, Bethel
14. Fouled out - Mowery. Turnovers - Grace 29, Bethel 14. [[In-content Ad]]
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MISHAWAKA - With just eight players available for head coach Lori Wynn, the Grace College women's basketball team has had to find creative ways to win basketball games.
In the Lady Lancers' last four games, the team has won three times, playing nothing but zone defense.
That zone defense has frustrated opponents during the streak. IPFW launched 48 three-pointers in a late December game with Grace. Indiana Tech was held to 19 first-half points and 19 percent shooting in the first half in a loss to the Lancers Monday night.
However, Bethel College found a way to crack the zone Wednesday night in a 69-60 victory over the Lady Lancers in the Mid-Central Conference opener for both teams. The Pilots are receiving votes in the NAIA Division II poll and have a legitimate shot at second place in the conference, behind NAIA No. 1 St. Francis.
"There's a lot of positives from this," Wynn said about pushing Bethel for much of the game. "Our record is not really an indication of how good or bad we are. We play hard and we're getting better."
The Lady Lancers' 3-10 record includes an eight-game losing streak to start the season. That streak included two games in which the Lady Lancers lost by at least 30 points. But that rough start can be contributed to a group of players trying to learn a new system under a first-year coach. Wynn has begun to turn things around as the team has become more comfortable in her system.
Grace trailed Bethel 30-24 at the half despite four first-half three-pointers from sophomore point guard Kari Helmuth. Helmuth, who played at Leo High School, already has broken the school record for three-pointers in one game when she had six earlier this year.
Bethel extended the lead to 12 points early in the second half, but the Lancers quickly cut into that deficit. A jumper from Eve Arthur, who had a team-high 19 points, and a layup from Tracey Mantegna completed a 12-3 run that put the Lancers within three points at 44-41.
Grace trailed 50-45 before Bethel went on a 7-0 run to extend the lead back to double-figures. The Lancers never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Grace did shoot 63 percent in the second half, but had turnover problems. The Lancers committed 17 in the final 20 minutes and took 17
less shots than Bethel in the second half. That was the difference.
"We've made a little bit of progress with turnovers," Wynn said. "But
we took a few steps backwards tonight. They shot 71 times to our 45.
You're not going to win many games like that."
One positive for the Lancers was the continued improvement of Arthur.
She missed the beginning of the season as a member of the women's
soccer team and took a while to get comfortable in the system. But she
has come off the bench to score 36 points in the last two games and
led the team in scoring both times. Wednesday night, she was 6-of-8
from the floor, including 4-of-5 three-pointers. She also made all
three of her free-throw attempts.
"She's starting to understand the system," Wynn said. "She took good,
open shots and she didn't force much. She's going to make a nice
addition to what we're doing."
Grace will play at Marian Saturday at 3 p.m. That is a pivotal game as
both teams have started conference play 0-1. Grace ended seventh in
the MCC last year, while Marian ended in eighth. One of those teams
will move back to .500 with a win.
BETHEL 69, GRACE 60
Grace 24 36 - 60
Bethel 30 39 - 69
Grace - Amy Doron 3-9 4-7 10, Eleanor Marquis 0-4 2-2 2, Danielle
Mowery 0-1 4-4 4, Kari Helmuth 4-11 0-0 12, Tracey Mantegna 6-12 0-0
13, Eve Arthur 6-8 3-3 19, Total 19-45 13-16 60
Bethel - AJ Whitehead 5-12 2-5 12, Shaunte Calhoun 2-3 1-1 5, Liz
Hansen 1-3 0-0 2, Shallon Bowden 2-11 0-0 4, Marissa Cook 2-3 1-4 7,
Jodie Peden 0-1 0-0 0, Stacy Handschu 1-3 0-0 2, Jacque Unzicker 0-1
0-0 0, Joy Ketelsen 7-14 0-0 20, Jyll Dingman2-7 0-0 5, Alyse Shier
5-13 2-2 12, Total 27-71 6-12 69
Three-pointers - Grace 9-20 (Arthur 4-5, Helmuth 4-10, Mantegna 1-4,
Doron 0-1), Bethel 9-25 (Ketelsen 6-12, Cook 2-2, Dingman 1-4, Bowden
0-3, Handschu 0-2, Whitehead 0-1, Hansen 0-1). Rebounds - Grace 37
(Doron 14), Bethel 38 (Shier 11). Personal fouls -Grace 15, Bethel
14. Fouled out - Mowery. Turnovers - Grace 29, Bethel 14. [[In-content Ad]]