Elgin, Ill.- Playing tough all the way through the game, the Judson University women’s basketball team (5-11/0-1 CCAC) fell short of knocking off #15 Cardinal Stritch (13-4/2-0 CCAC), 65-50. The game was tied at 46 with 12:02 remaining in the game when CSU finished with a 19-4 run to take the win.
Senior Kelly Friestad (Newark, Ill.) had a career-game with 18 points to lead Judson as she was the lone Eagle in double figures. CSU’s Jeni Caldwell led all scorers with 21 points. Alicia Rovertoni had seven rebounds for Judson.
Judson came to battle the #15 team in the nation and did not give in to the Wolves. JU took a seven-point lead, 14-7, in the first five minutes of the game with Friestad scoring eight of the first 14 points. The seven-point lead did not bother CSU as they put together a 15-4 run in the next seven minutes to take a four-point lead, 22-18.
Fighting back, Judson tied the game twice in the next four minutes at 26 and 28 respectively. CSU’s Michelle Stelloh made it 30-28 with 5:05 left in the half but a Kirstin Johns free throw and then a Devonaye Henderson lay up gave JU the lead, 31-30, with 4:27 on the clock. JU missed their next three shots and CSU finished the half on a 5-2 run to take a two-point advantage into the locker room, 35-33.
Coming out strong in the second half, Judson took a four-point lead in the first four minutes. Rovertoni tied the game at 35 and then game JU the lead at 18:38. Friestad then made it 39-35 with 16:26 left in the game. Once again, CSU put together a run (8-0) to take a four-point lead, 43-39, in just over two minutes.
Still not giving into the nationally ranked team, JU scored the next five points with a three-pointer by Johns (assisted by Friestad) and then a lay up by Friestad for the one-point lead, 44-43. CSU’s Caldwell hit a shot from beyond the arc to retake the lead only to see Henderson tie the game for a fifth time at 46 with 12:02 left. CSU then shut down JU’s offense and finished the game on a 19-4 run for the win. After tying the game at 46, JU did not hit another shot for four minutes (8:10). From there JU did not hit another shot from the floor as the final two points came on free throws.
JU finished shooting 38% from the floor and 26% from three-point range while making 50% from the free throw line. CSU made only 40% of their shots, 25% from the three-point line, and 66% from the stripe. The advantage came on the boards for CSU as they out rebounded JU, 43-28. JU had 16 turnovers to CSU’s 15 and had nine steals.
Judson will host Purdue-Calumet on Wednesday, January 16th, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lindner Fitness Center.
