Sioux City, Iowa – The Marian women’s basketball team kept their win streak going Thursday afternoon in the Tyson Events Center, winning the first game in the Round of 16 at the NAIA National Tournament with a 72-63 victory over the University of Jamestown. Marian’s streak moves to 31 consecutive games, as the Knights are 33-1 entering the NAIA Quarterfinals.
Similar to the last time the Knights stepped on the court, scoring was at a premium in the first quarter, as both sides went nearly two minutes without a score. Ella Collier was able to get the lid off the basket in the first game at the Tyson Events Center as she ripped a steal and breakaway layup, but was quickly matched by Kate Cordes of Jamestown. The Jimmies would take a brief lead after scoring two possessions after the Cordes bucket, but Marian quickly heated up with Kinnidy Garrard scoring four straight to reclaim the lead. Marian went into the first media timeout leading 8-7, and over the final three minutes of the first quarter got contributions from Garrard, Collier, and Aliyah Evans to take a 16-9 advantage into the second period.
The Knights added to their lead in the first minute of the second quarter, with a three from Allison Bosse punctuating a 5-0 run that forced an early Jimmie timeout. Marian’s lead held at double digits as the clock rolled under seven minutes to play before the half, but a Jamestown run of seven unanswered points during a Marian lull brought the game back within two scores. Allison Bosse halted the run with a corner three, sparked the Knights offense as Marian pushed back ahead by 13 points. Marian held a double figure lead for the majority of the final five minutes before halftime, and led by as many as 14 but a 5-0 run allowed in the last 51 seconds made the game an eight-point affair at the break.
Marian led 37-29 at the half, with Garrard’s 11 points pacing the offense through 20 minutes.
The game went back and forth as the second half opened with Marian maintaining their three-possession lead as Garrard held the team in check. Abbey McNally shouldered the offense after the seven-minute mark, as the sophomore post player took over inside with three baskets and strong rebounding. Open three point makes from Sara Majorosova and Bosse vaulted the edge near twenty points, as the Knights gained their largest lead of the day with 4:03 to play in the third, holding a 53-36 edge. The 17-point lead would dwindle before the quarter’s end as Jamestown was able to get back within 10 points, but a late spark from McNally and Aliyah Evans recouped a 59-45 lead entering the final quarter.
Marian stayed in a groove entering the fourth quarter as they stayed on top by double figures, but pressure from Jamestown as their 16-point lead shrink to seven at the halfway point of the final period. After Jamestown made the game a 63-56 score, a 90-second drought occurred before Garrard was able to muscle in a shot deep in the paint. Garrard’s bucket regained momentum for the Knights as they pushed their lead to 11 in the final two minutes, putting the pressure on the Jimmies to make shots and foul.
Jamestown was able to convert from the field and make it a nine-point game with 1:36 to play, but after air-balling a three on their next possession, the life left the Jimmies sideline, as they were forced to foul to stay in the game. Marian converted three of four free throw attempts in the final 64 seconds of the game to seal the win, as the final points of the game from McNally closed the 72-63 win.
The Knights forced Jamestown to a 35 percent day from the field, while their offense converted 48 percent from the field and 80 percent at the charity stripe. McNally put together a commanding 16-point, 14-rebound double-double in the win, while Garrard led the team in scoring with 17 points to go with her eight boards. Bosse scored 10 points making three of the team’s four three-point shots. Collier scored nine and had two steals, while Majorosova and Perryman each scored eight.
Marian will play either Concordia or Providence in the NAIA Quarterfinals on Saturday. Tip from the Tyson Events Center is slated for 2:00 p.m. ET.