Women's Basketball Topples Chatham, 83-65

Feb. 7 – PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Bethany College women's basketball team (11-10, 7-7 PAC) used a 50-point first half and a career-high 28 points from freshman Kelsea Daugherty (Newport, Ohio/Frontier) to defeat Chatham University, 83-65, on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh.

The contest started as a tightly contested affair as the teams found themselves deadlocked at 14-14 with 14:17 to play in the contest. The Bison shared the basketball well early, as all five starters had scored at least one basket over the first six minutes of the game.

The Green & White would make the first move, getting back-to-back three-point plays from Lauren Simpson (Washington, Pa./Trinity) and Mikyla Tipton (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville) to spark an 8-0 run. Simpson buried a triple to untie the game and was followed by layup by Tipton. Tipton was also fouled on the play, and the ensuing free throw gave Bethany a six-point advantage. On the Bison's next trip down, Gabrielle Naples (Salem, Ohio/South Range) was awarded two free throws, which she converted to give the Green & White a 22-14 lead with 12:43 to play.

Chatham would respond quickly, pulling within three, 24-21, with 11:24 left. However, the Bison would once again push forward, expanding the advantage to double figures. Over the next six minutes, the Green & White would outscore Chatham 18-4 to expand the lead to 42-25 with 5:26 to play. Daugherty was a driving force in the run, scoring the last eight Bison points to extend the lead to 17.

Riding that momentum, the Bison would keep the lead in double digits, eventually going into the locker room with a 50-36 advantage.

The Green & White saw ten different players score a basket in the first half and were led by 12 points each from Tipton and Daugherty. Bethany shot 51 percent in the solid first stanza, and converted on all eight free throw attempts to help put them in the driver's seat for the second half.

The Cougars made one push in the second half to cut the advantage back to single digits as a three pointer from Kathryn Polaski narrowed the margin to eight (52-44) with 17:05 remaining. The Bison, however, would keep firm control of the game throughout, eventually ballooning the lead to 20 points (75-55), before settling for the 18-point victory, 83-65.

Daugherty imposed her will in the second half, scoring 16 of the team's 33 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor. For the game, the freshman forward posted a career-high 28 points while adding nine rebounds and two steals.

Other Bison in double figures in the contest included Tipton and Gabrielle Naples. Tipton completed the game with 12 points while Naples scored five in each half to finish with 10. Alexis Naples (Salem, Ohio/South Range) finished the contest with six points and four assists while Hayley Holenka (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside), Simpson and Mytia Barker (Wintersville, Ohio/Steubenville) all finished with five.