IMMACULATA, Pa. - Despite cutting visiting Ursinus' nine-point halftime lead down to only a two-possession game in the latter stages of the third quarter, the Immaculata University women's basketball team was unable to complete the comeback in the final ten minutes of Thursday night's non-conference matchup, as the Macs fell, 54-38. The Mighty Macs shot just 25 percent from the field in the final frame while the Bears shot 57.1 percent, posting a 19-point fourth quarter to pull away late.
Amber Ballinger posted her third-straight game in double-figures, scoring a team-high 15 points to go along with six boards in the effort.
Theresa Kearney followed with 11 points of her own, while
Natalie Ayoub finished with a game-high four blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The two sides remained within a point of each other over the first four-plus minutes of the game, before the Bears ripped off a 9-0 run to take a 13-4 lead at the 3:34 mark of the opening quarter. The Macs responded with a 7-2 run of their own over the final 1:36 of the quarter to cut the deficit to four heading into the second.
-The Macs were unable to cut the Ursinus lead down any further in the second quarter, as IU shot just 3-of-13 from the field during that stretch allowing the Bears to extend their lead to nine at the break.
-Ursinus continued to keep ahold of its nine-point lead at the 4:32 mark of the third, but a 5-0 Mighty Mac run with just under three minutes remaining in the period got the hosts within four yet again. The Bears would go on to convert on a jumper in the lane with under a minute left on the clock to take a six-point lead going into the final ten minutes of regulation.
-Immaculata's shooting woes continued into the fourth quarter, as Ursinus outscored the Macs, 19-9, in the final frame to come away with the 54-38 road victory.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
-Points: Ballinger 15, Kearney 11, Ayoub 8
-Rebounds: Kohutka 7, Ballinger 6, Kelly 4
-Assists: Kelly 3, Kohutka 2
-Steals: Ayoub 3
-Blocks: Ayoub 4
UP NEXT
Immaculata (4-10, 1-0 Atlantic East) continues its three-game homestand Saturday, hosting Neumann in the Macs' Atlantic East home-opener at 1 p.m.
