Bobcats Suffer Opening Round Loss
In their opening round of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament, the Bryant & Stratton College Bobcats (10 seed) came up short to the host North Arkansas College Pioneers...
WAUWATOSA, WI (March 20, 2018) – In their opening round of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament, the Bryant & Stratton College Bobcats (10 seed) came up short to the host North Arkansas College Pioneers (7 seed) 74-67. The Bobcats will move on to play Gogebic at 9:00am CT on Thursday in the consolation bracket.
This was the first ever national tournament appearance for the Bobcats and competing against the host was no easy task. Coming into the tournament the Pioneers were the eighth ranked team in the nation but the Bobcats gave them a hard-fought battle.
Starting the game the Bobcats fell behind 16-10 to end the first but the second quarter was a different story. Trailing by seven with just four minutes remaining in the half, the Bobcats went on a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to three with two minutes remaining. Responding to the Bobcats run, the Pioneers pushed back and rallied for a 9-4 run to end the half.
Trailing only eight points to the eight-ranked team in the nation left Bobcats head coach Jeff Lorenz with positive thoughts for the second half.
"We played right there with them," Lorenz said. "The difference is they hit their free throws and we did not."
Shooting 1-for-7 from the line to the Pioneers 7-of-12 is where the Bobcats missed out on key opportunities to cut the deficit.
Coming out in the second half the Bobcats were rolling after a key put-back layup by Ashley Williams (Aurora, IL) which brought the score to 40-38 with four minutes remaining before the fourth.
Trading baskets in the final minutes of the third, the Bobcats trailed 54-49 with one quarter left to play.
In a grinding fourth quarter, Kiara Donaldson (Milwaukee, WI) scored a key basket on a tough drive to the hoop which brought the Bobcats within seven points and three minutes on the clock. Not letting the Bobcats close the gap, the Pioneers continued their execution offensively and went on their way to securing their opening round win.
"It was a battle and give credit to them. (North Arkansas) executed very well down the stretch," Lorenz said.
The Bobcats ended the game shooting 37 percent from the field and 7-for-22 (31 percent) from the free throw line.
Donaldson and Jazlyn Drake (Milwaukee, WI) led the way for the Bobcats dropping 15 points a-piece.
Williams followed with a double-double dropping 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Although a tough loss came early for the Bobcats, the tournament is not over as they will look ahead to their game on Thursday and come out with a win. NJCAA Bracket
Tip-off will take place at 9:00am and the game will be streamed live here - www.njcaatv.com
