Cold Second Half Downs Women's Basketball

Doane Women's Basketball traveled to Seward on Thursday evening to take on Concordia in GPAC action. A rough second half for the Tigers led to a 72-55 defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs.

The opening quarter saw each team go on a couple of mini-runs, with the Bulldogs leading by as many as six points. As the first quarter came to an end, Doane trailed by three, 18-15.

The Tigers used a 6-0 run and a 7-0 run in the second quarter to take their first lead of the game and went into the break with a 34-30 lead. Seven different players scored in the quarter for Doane.

A cold stretch to start the third quarter would turn the tide in the game in the Bulldogs favor. Doane was held without a made field goal until a Libby Trausch 3-point basket with two minutes to play in the quarter. Concordia had out-scored the Tigers, 15-1, before the Trausch basket. Doane finished the quarter strong with a 7-0 run and trailed 45-42 entering the final 10 minutes.

The fourth quarter saw another cold spell to start for the Tigers as Concordia used a 24-4 run over 5:38 of play to take their largest lead of 23 points, 69-46. Doane out-scored the Bulldogs, 9-3 over the final four minutes, with six free throws and an offensive put-back by Olivia Nall.

Kali Staples and Mak Hatcliff led the Tigers with 10 points apiece and Trausch added nine. Hatcliff picked up 10 rebounds to record her third double-double of the month. A Doane player has recorded a double-double in five of the last six games.

Macy Holtz and Hatcliff tied for team-high honors with two assists apiece while Holtz and Staples collected two steals apiece to lead the team.

For the game, Doane shot 36.2-percent from the floor (17-of-47), 15.8-percent from 3-point range (3-of-19), and 66.7-percent at the free throw line (18-of-27).

Taysha Rushton and Kendall Brigham led the Bulldogs with 14 points apiece as they shot 39.1-percent from the floor (27-of-69), 27.3-percent from behind the arc (9-of-33), and 90-percent at the free throw line (9-of-10). Key to the Bulldogs' advantage was taking 22 more shot attempts in the game as they out-scored Doane 35-11 in points off turnovers.

Doane will return to action on December 29 as they travel to Bellevue to take on the Bruins on the first day of the Bellevue Classic. The Tigers and Bruins are set to tip off at 4:30 PM.