(Merced, CA) The shooting woes and year end swoon continued for the Park University Gilbert women’s basketball team as the dropped a 50-40 contest to UC Merced at Gallo Coliseum in Merced, Calif. the Buccaneers are now 13-11 on the season and 11-6 in Cal Pac Conference play. The 40 points scored is the lowest point total for the Bucs this season and the second lowest in school history against an NAIA opponent.
In the first half the Buccaneers only scored 16 points a season low for a half which surpassed the 17 points the Bucs scored in the second half against Saint Katherine this past Saturday. They trailed by 10 26-16.
Park shot 21 percent from the floor for the first half and gave UC Merced the advantage at the free throw line as well, as the Bobcats had 13 shots from the charity stripe to only four for the Bucs. UCM mad 11 of the 13 while Park went 1-4. Merced was not much better from the floor, shooting 26 percent.
The Bucs improved to 33 percent in the third quarter, but so did the Bobcats as they upped their percentage to 35 percent. The Bucs cut the deficit by 1 in the quarter to trail by nine headed into the fourth quarter.
The Bucs then needed to attempt to do something they haven’t done all year. Come from behind in the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers were 0-8 entering the game when trailing entering the fourth quarter and things followed suit again tonight. The Bucs shot 20 percent from the floor and while they made some runs, the Bobcats would always have an answer when the Bucs would start to cut into the lead.
Park finished shooting 24 percent from the floor and from three-point range. The Bucs actually made more field goals than the Bobcats (16-15), but Merced made two more three-pointers and 10 more free throws.
Individually, Kayla Schroeder recorded her fifth double-double of her career with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jenny Todd was second with nine points.
The Bucs now have a day to lick their wounds and remove this performance from memory. They will need to refocus on a tough Simpson squad on Saturday who beat them earlier this season in Arizona.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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