Top-ranked GPS seemed to do what it could Thursday to ensure its Division II-AA East/Middle Region basketball game would be as close as possible. But it also did enough things well against Baylor to come away with a 57-49 victory.
Although the Bruisers scored the first four points, they trailed 12-9 at the end of the first quarter. Additionally, they wound up shooting 46.9 percent (15-for-32) from the free-throw line.
“We’ve got to do that better,” GPS coach Susan Crownover said. “But to overcome that and beat our biggest rival and go to 4-0 in the region, I’ll take it.”
Crownover attributed the slow early going to missing some layups as well as not looking to get the ball to Chappel Sharrock, who made her second 3-point shot at the 3:13 mark of the first quarter and didn’t score again.
The Lady Red Raiders took a 15-11 lead in the first minute of the second quarter when Mary Ellen Williams made a 3-point shot from out front. Then six minutes went by before Baylor’s Katelyn Armstrong scored after picking up a loose ball underneath. Still, the Bruisers’ halftime lead was two.
Baylor (12-9, 1-3) had another long scoring drought in the third quarter, which proved to be even more damaging. GPS (15-1) was able to push the lead to 37-24 in the final minute before Williams’ second 3 provided the Lady Raiders’ first points since Megan Ausdran’s basket inside at the 6:38 mark.
“They’re a good basketball team, probably the best in our division,” Baylor coach John Gibson said. “The reason why we have droughts is because of what they’re able to do to us. They put us in tough situations at times.”
Crownover played two reserves, Tory Kemp and Brianna Farris, and credited the energy they provided during that second-half stretch. Farris is a transfer from Baylor who recently became eligible.
“Early in the third quarter we went to the bench and brought in Tory and Brianna,” Crownover said. “I think they made a big difference in the game defensively. When they entered we got in little more of a rhythm and got the game going up and down, the way we like to play.”
Point guard Chadarryl Clay, who led the Bruisers with 16 points despite not getting her first points until midway of the second quarter, made her four free throws in the fourth quarter. Her teammates were a combined 9-for-22 in the period.
“We’re just trying to lengthen the game and give ourselves a chance,” Gibson said of the fouling strategy. “You hope maybe they miss one and you can get two for one, or even three for one. We kind of ran out of time.”
Simone Busby contributed 13 points for GPS.
Baylor’s Amber Howard scored nine of her team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Williams finished with 10.
Gibson said it hurt that Ausdran got in some foul trouble. She ended up fouling out with 2:32 remaining with nine points.