For Immediate Release: January 13, 2007 Mankato, MN – Bethany Lutheran College went to the free-throw line 38 times Friday night, and converted on 27 attempts, including a 19-24 effort at the line in the second half alone in a 61-59 win over the University of Minnesota-Morris in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) college women’s basketball action.
The Cougars were 10-16 at the line in the game.
Three different Cougar scored to start the game as UMM jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first 2:30 of the first half.
Coresa Leighty scored on a jumper in the lane followed by a Tynell Kocer basket and a three-point field goal from Alaina Benson that gave Minnesota-Morris the 7-0 lead
The largest lead for either team in the first half was the Vikings eight point advantage at 32-24 with 4:43 remaining in the first half.
Alaina Benson drained another three to help jump start the Cougars as UMM outscored BLC 6-1 to close out the half and when Benson dialed long distance again with 54 seconds left before halftime, the game was tied at 33-33, the sixth tie of the opening half and the score remained that way at the break
Minnesota-Morris scored the first six points of the second half to take a 39-33 lead after a Tynell Kocer lay-up at 17:27 of the second half.
The Cougars extended the lead to eight at 48-40 after a Jamie Rainey three with 10:55 remaining in the game.
From that point on, Bethany Lutheran scored 18 of their final 21 points of the game at the free-throw line and Minnesota-Morris went ice cold from the field hitting just four of their final 15 shots in the game.
With 1:49 left in the second half, Alaina Benson’s lay-up put UMM on top 59-57 but that would be the final points of the game for the Cougars as the Vikings pulled out the two point win.
Neither team shot well in the game as the Cougars were 21-17 (29.6 %) for the game, Bethany shot just 21 percent (15-71) from the floor. The Vikings had a huge 67-48 advantage in rebounds.
Alaina Benson led the Cougars with 17 points and Tynell Kocer added 12.
Christina Odegard set a new single game record for the Cougars with eight blocks in the game. The old record was seven set by Cindy Lonneman in the 1982-83 season. Odegard added eight rebounds.
Jamie Rainey dished out eight assists.
Minnesota-Morris (4-8 1-1 UMAC) travels to New Ulm for a 3:00 league match up with Martin Luther College today, Saturday, January 13.
Newspaper Box Score (Final)
Minnesota-Morris vs Bethany Lutheran (1-12-07)
At Mankato, MN
BETHANY LUTHERAN 61, MINNESOTA-MORRIS 59
MINNESOTA-MORRIS
Benson,Alaina 5-15 3-4 17; Kocer,Tynell 5-15 2-2 12; Leighty,Coresa 3-7 2-2
8; Anderson,Arielle 3-6 0-0 6; Rainey,Jamie 2-5 0-0 6; Bergman,Annika 2-8
0-0 5; Odegard,Christina 0-5 3-8 3; Maynard,Marissa 1-10 0-0 2. Totals 21-71
10-16 59.
BETHANY LUTHERAN
Leslie Bremer 5-15 8-10 18; Casey Gudahl 3-6 4-6 13; Eva Voss 1-9 9-12 11;
Jessica Merseth 3-12 0-0 6; Laura Parochka 1-4 2-2 5; Lindsey Kahle 1-9 2-6
4; Molly Erdman 1-4 2-2 4; Rachel Olson 0-2 0-0 0; Cali Hines 0-10 0-0 0.
Totals 15-71 27-38 61.
Minnesota-Morris.... 33 26 - 59
Bethany Lutheran.... 33 28 - 61
3-point goals-Minnesota-Morris 7-27 (Benson,Alaina 4-11; Rainey,Jamie 2-4;
Bergman,Annika 1-3; Maynard,Marissa 0-4; Kocer,Tynell 0-5), Bethany Lutheran
4-13 (Casey Gudahl 3-4; Laura Parochka 1-2; Lindsey Kahle 0-1; Molly Erdman
0-1; Rachel Olson 0-1; Cali Hines 0-2; Eva Voss 0-2). Fouled
out--Minnesota-Morris-Bergman,Annika; Maynard,Marissa; Benson,Alaina,
Bethany Lutheran-Jessica Merseth. Rebounds-Minnesota-Morris 48
(Odegard,Christina 8), Bethany Lutheran 67 (Leslie Bremer 18).
Assists-Minnesota-Morris 15 (Rainey,Jamie 8), Bethany Lutheran 12 (Jessica
Merseth 2; Laura Parochka 2; Lindsey Kahle 2; Leslie Bremer 2). Total
fouls-Minnesota-Morris 28, Bethany Lutheran 16. A-257