Cougar News

12.12.2009 - [Women's Basketball]
Amanda Daugherty earned All-Invitational honors at CCSJ, Dec. 11-12.
Amanda Daugherty earned All-Invitational honors at CCSJ, Dec. 11-12.
Whiting, IN - Mid-Continent University (1-10) came from nine points down in the final 6:53 and won its first game of the season and took home third-place honors with a 60-58 victory over Marygrove College (5-5), an NAIA Division II school from Detroit, in Saturday, Dec. 12 women's basketball action at the Crimson Wave Invitational hosted by Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana. MCU snapped a 15-game losing streak that dates back to its Feb. 19, 2009 victory over Blue Mountain.
 
    Sophomore forward Amanda Daugherty (Golconda, IL/Pope County HS), pictured on the right, earned All-Invitational honors, and junior guard Tiffany Payton (Wadesville, IN/Mater Dei HS/Kaskaskia College, IL), pictured below on the left, finished with 21 points and 4 three-pointers, including the game-tying three-pointer with 46 seconds left.
 
      After Christmas break, MCU returns to action in its first two TranSouth contests on Thursday, Jan. 7, at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville at 6:00 p.m., and against Lyon College (Ark.) at the Mayfield High School Sports Arena, Saturday, Jan. 9, at 2:00.
 
Tiffany Payton    The first half featured significant streaks for both sides and just six combined free throws and 12 turnovers, 8 by MCU. Payton scored MCU's first 8 points of the contest, including 2 three-pointers, and the Cougars led 8-2 early. Marygrove came back to lead 11-10, but MCU put together 7 consecutive points and led 17-11 with 12:18 left in the half. Marygrove outscored MCU, 15-4, in the next 5 minutes and led 26-21 with 7:07 left. MCU scored 4 consecutive points near the end of the half and cut the Mustangs' margin to 30-29 with 1:47 left, and Marygrove led 32-29 at halftime. Payton scored 11 first-half points, and reserve guard Dominique Gordon scored 9 for Marygrove.
 
     An 11-3 Marygrove run put the Mustangs ahead, 45-37, with 14:03 remaining in the game as guard Jacquis Bullock scored five consecutive points, including a three-pointer. Payton scored 4 of MCU's next 6 points, including a three-pointer and brought back MCU to a 45-43 deficit at 12:11. However, Marygrove answered with a 9-2 run and grabbed its biggest lead, 54-45, with 8:03 left to play.
 
     MCU tied the game at 58-58 on Payton's three-pointer with 46 seconds left and rebounded Marygrove's miss at the other end and called timeout with 29 seconds left. Junior forward Katie Perry (Anchorage, AK/Grace Christian School) took a pass from junior guard Lindsey Davis (Charlestown, IN/Charlestown HS/ Kaskaskia College, IL) and scored a lay-up with 10 seconds left for the game-winning shot.
 
      For the game, MCU shot .468 (22-47) from the field, made 4 of 9 three-pointers and 12 of 17 free throws. The Cougars committed 22 turnovers, and Marygrove stole the ball from MCU 13 times. Marygrove shot .400 for the game (26-65), made 4 of 13 three-pointers and 2 of 3 free throws and committed 15 turnovers, 11 in the second half. The Mustangs outrebounded the Cougars, 35-28.
 
     Payton finished with 21 points and 4 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal, and Perry finished with 14 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and a blocked shot, and Daugherty contributed 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and one steal. Senior center Kandi Knupp (Iuka, MS/Tishomingo County HS/NE Mississippi CC) finished with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and a steal.
 
    Bullock led Marygrove with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, and forward Arielle Edwards added 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals.