WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The #RV Huntington women’s basketball team’s three-game win streak was snapped by #RV IU Northwest, 92-80, Wednesday night at Platt Arena. With this loss, HU drops to 3-2 on the year while the RedHawks remained perfect at 5-0.

In addition to boasting the top scorer in the NAIA, IU Northwest also has a post player who entered the contest ranked 30th in the country in scoring. The duo account for nearly 70 percent of their team’s scoring by combining for 53 points per night.

The pair were up to their usual antics on this given night. Jessica Carrothers, a 5-7 transfer from Butler University averaging 32 points per night, went off for 41 points while 6-2 post Tiara Jackson finished with 19, two points below her season average.

As it turned out, the RedHawks had several other players step up in key moments to ensure they snuck out of Platt Arena with a win. Alyna Santiago posted ten points while Katelyn Halfacre tossed in eight. Halfacre knocked down a pair of triples at critical times while Ava Kingery came off the bench to add two more three-pointers, her first two of the season, to help IUN’s cause.

The hosts came into the evening knowing they’d have their hands full defensively but what wasn’t expected was their struggle at the offensive end through the first three quarters. It was a nine-point difference of 38-29 at intermission. The RedHawks, behind Carrothers’ 12 points, grew the lead to 20 by the end of the third before Huntington finally found their footing offensively.

Bailey Kelham and Liv Raby rallied their team in the fourth by combining to score 23 of Huntington’s 36 points to trim the lead to seven at 82-75 with just under two minutes remaining. Down by eight with 55 seconds remaining, Kelham drained a three from the corner that was called off because her back foot stepped on the sideline.

It would have made for a five-point contest, but it wasn’t to be as the march to the free throw line for IU Northwest began shortly after that where they were able to swell their advantage back to double figures by game’s end.

Kelham finished with a team-best 22 points. Raby poured in 18 points and ripped down 12 rebounds for a double double. She also swatted three shots and dished out three assists. Gabi Melby tossed in 13 points in addition to collecting six boards, six assists and three steals. Kyndell Jochim came off the bench to add 13 points while Peyton Hartsough dropped in ten for Maggard’s crew.

The Foresters are back in action Saturday to host Defiance at 1:00 p.m.