St. Ambrose falls to IU South Bend 65-53
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Indiana South Bend (IN) (14-6, 9-3) | 18 | 16 | 20 | 11 | 65 |
|
St. Ambrose (IA) (10-11, 7-6) | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 53 |
St. Ambrose shot just 37 percent from the floor in falling to Indiana South Bend 65-53 Saturday afternoon at Lee Lohman Arena.
The Bees were just 20-of-54 from the field, which included a 4-of-20 mark from 3-point range.
Both teams struggled offensively early, combining to miss their first seven shots and combine six turnovers, with SAU nursing a 1-0 lead on a Caitlyn Thole free throw more than three minutes into the contest.
The teams ultimately found their footing and Indiana South Bend (14-6, 9-3 CCAC) held an 18-14 lead after one quarter.
The Titans steadily increased their advantage. The lead grew to 34-27 at halftime and was upped to 54-40 after three.
After falling behind by as many as 16 early in the fourth, St. Ambrose (10-11, 7-6 CCAC) made things interesting down the stretch.
Abby Wolter scored seven points and Thole added two during a 9-0 run that trimmed a 60-44 deficit to 60-53 with more than three minutes remaining.
The Bees had the chance to get even closer but Jayla Stirgus and Wolter each misfired on a three. After Wolter's miss, the Titans were able to convert on the other end to go up 62-53 inside the final minute. IU South Bend added three late free throws to account for the final score.
Thole led St. Ambrose with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Wolter was the only other Bee to reach double figures. She scored 15 to go along with six boards and three steals.
Stirgus finished with seven points. Mary Gruber scored five, Payton Calouette had four, Olivia Harter netted three and Isabella Hutchinson added two. Erin Jolin came down with seven rebounds in the loss.
SAU will visit Governors State Wednesday.