Posted: Jan 03, 2011
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CMU snapped a three-game skid Saturday by earning the 17-point win over Tabor. The Lady Bluejays scored the first two points of the game, but CMU scored the next nine, including six by junior Sami Dunger (Wildwood, Mo.), to take a 9-2 lead with 17:04 left in the first half. The Lady Eagles built their lead to as many as eight points at 18-10 after a three-pointer by sophomore Raylyn Nuss (O'Fallon, Mo.) with 10:56 remaining in the first half. Tabor answered with an 11-3 run over the next eight minutes to tie the game at 21-21, before sophomore Kristin Willer (Fulton, Mo.) scored the final five points of the half to give CMU a 26-21 lead at halftime.
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The Lady Eagles stretched their lead to 11 in the first eight minutes of the second period. Tabor got to within six at 43-37 with 9:06 left in the game, but CMU went on an 18-2 run over the next six-plus minutes to open up a 61-39 lead, before winning by 17. Central Methodist finished with 45.5 percent shooting from the field in the game, while Tabor made just 25.4 percent from the field. The teams were even with five three-pointers each in the game, and CMU made 10-of-16 free-throw attempts, while Tabor converted 13-of-22 from the free-throw line. The Lady Eagles finished with a 45-39 rebounding advantage.
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Dunger finished with a season-high 21 points against Tabor, while also recording four assists. Freshman Ashley Nyakundi (Arlington, Texas) added nine points, while Nuss finished with eight. Willer pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds, while scoring seven points.
In Friday's game against Sterling, CMU never led. The Lady Eagles' offense struggled in the first half, shooting just 17.4 percent from the field in the period as Sterling took a 32-11 lead at halftime. CMU was unable to rally in the second half, despite shooting 48.3 percent from the field in the half to finish at 34.6 percent in the game. Meanwhile, Sterling finished with 47.2 percent shooting from the field in the game, including 60.9 percent in the second half. Central Methodist made just 1-of-12 from three-point range, and 4-of-11 from the free-throw line in the game. Sterling was 5-of-10 from behind the arc, and 16-of-27 from the free-throw line. CMU finished with a 36-35 edge in rebounding in the game, but was hindered by 23 turnovers, which led to 22 points by Sterling.
Nyakundi led CMU with 10 points, while junior Catherine Kyle (Fayette, Mo.) added nine. Juniors Alexa Fox (Columbia, Mo.) and Sarah Foster (Anna, Ill.) pulled down four rebounds each.
The Lady Eagles are now 3-12 on the season as they prepare to return to Heart of America Athletic Conference action this week. Sterling is 12-2 on the season, while Tabor has a record of 4-10 following the weekend tournament. Central Methodist returns to conference play Thursday by hosting Evangel University in a 5:30 p.m. contest at Puckett Field House. The Lady Eagles will then host William Jewell College at 2 p.m. Saturday.
