WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The HU women’s basketball team outlasted the visiting Pilots (4-17, 0-14) of Bethel University Wednesday night at Platt Arena 88-75. The W is Huntington’s tenth straight over BU.

The first meeting between these two teams this season, less than two weeks ago, was a lopsided affair with the Foresters cruising to a 90-51 win. While Culler and crew still enjoyed a double-digit victory, it had a much different feel than January 27 at the Weikamp Athletic Center.

The Pilots came to do battle. After the first quarter ended in a 21-21 stalemate, the guests took the lead at 24-23 less than two minutes into the second stanza. While it proved their last lead of the evening, the game was far from over.

Behind a combined ten points from Sam Vaughn and Logan Rowles, the Foresters responded with a 13-3 run to climb back on top 37-26 for their first double-digit lead of the night at the five-minute mark of the second quarter. Bethel spent the rest of the frame scratching and clawing their way back in it to trim it to two at 42-40 by the midway point.

Out of halftime, it was déjà vu as HU surged ahead again by 11, 53-42, and once again the Pilots answered swiftly – this time reducing the gap to three at 53-50.  The Foresters finally put an end to that pattern by closing out the third on a 10-2 run to which Bethel had no retort.

Culler’s squad upped their advantage to as many as 21 in the final quarter before settling for the 13-point victory.

Vaughn topped all scorers with 23 points in addition to grabbing eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. Emily Seboe added 20 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc. Alexandria Bope put up solid numbers across the board by posting 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Celeste Ryman tossed in ten points – all in the last eight minutes of the contest.

Kelsey Brickner racked up 21 points for Bethel while Katie Klinker and Sydney Williams contributed 11 points apiece.

The Foresters (11-7, 7-6) head to Indianapolis Saturday to face #4 Marian at 1:00 p.m.