Chelsea Malone lifted the Tabor College women's team to a 38-37 win despite a tough shooting night for everyone involved. Trailing 37-36 with time running out, Andrea Robinson attacked the basket with a dribble drive, but could not put the shot in?but Malone tracked down the offensive rebound, squared her shoulders and banked home the right-wing winner as her momentum carried her out of bounds. It was Malone's only basket of the night.
As a team, Tabor dominated the glass at both ends with 44 rebounds (20 offensive) but made just 11 of 50 field goal attempts and committed 27 turnovers?but also limited the Spires to 12-for-44 shooting. The Bluejays outscored Saint Mary 11-3 during the final seven minutes of the first half, but saw a 10-point lead evaporate during the first 15 minutes of the second half. Back-to-back baskets by Rani Jacobs put Saint Mary ahead 33-31 with 5:57 left, but Tabor allied to take a 36-34 lead on a combination of scores by Gina Hullet and Kirsten Watson. But Addie Heim took all the wind out of Tabor's sails with a layup-and-1 with 21 seconds left?temporarily, until Malone's shot broke loose a moment of pandemonium.
The men's team carried a 29-25 halftime lead on the strength
of 14 first half points from Zack Vanselow, but the Bluejays were
unable to contain Saint Mary's shooters in the second half of
Thursday's 65-60 home loss.
Tabor led by seven on Zack Vanselow's field goal with 56 seconds left in the first half, and the Bluejays stoked that lead to 12 on the strength of a 3-pointer by Kyle Kroeker, a Vanselow 2-pointer and a traditional 3-point play by Kroeker?an 8-0 run in the first 3:31 of the second half. But Saint Mary's 3-point shooters caught fire and demolished Tabor's lead with a 13-2 run over the next 2:49. The Spires pulled even on back-to-back 2-pointers by Quintin White and Carvelle Taylor at 11:21.
Tabor held its ground by working its way to the foul line, but could not slow Walt Frazier's 3-point shooting spree?Frazier hit triples at 8:45, 7:27? and 5:35 as Saint Mary took a 56-50 lead. Tabor closed within one on a free throw by Kroeker with 24 seconds left, but Frazier went 4-for-4 at the foul line in the final half-minute.
Up next, Tabor visits Bethany at 5/7 p.m. Saturday.
