MCPHERSON, Kan. — The Lady Bluejays are on a 12-game winning streak with adding their last conference game against the McPherson College Bulldogs. They secured winning the KCAC Conference and becoming the first seed in the tournament.
Head Coach Shawn Reed said, "It was a solid road win, and we are super proud of our team for securing our first KCAC Championship since 2018-19. Our team has grown so much from last year to this season, and I think this accomplishment says a ton about their character and growth."
The starters for the Bluejays were Ja'Neysha Hendricks, Teegan Werth, Kassidy Beam, Madie McCoy, and Alyvia Owens.
The first quarter for the Bluejays started out well by hitting shots and finding open opportunities.
Coach Reed expressed, "Early in the first quarter, our defensive effort and rebounding was not great. I thought McPherson was much more physical and aggressive, and we didn't really play to our standards. We shot the ball pretty well early in the game and that allowed us to take a slim 14-12 lead in the second quarter."
In the second, the Bluejays looked more relaxed and were playing Bluejay basketball and allowed McPherson to only 7 points. Coach Reed agreed, "The second quarter we looked more like ourselves and I was very pleased with our defensive execution. It started to improve later in the first quarter and that momentum carried into the second quarter and we were able to hold McPherson to seven points on 18% shooting from the field. We also improved our efficiency from the field shooting 56% from the floor which led to us taking an 11-point lead into halftime."
After the half, the Bluejays did not look locked in. The Bulldogs took advantage of their mistakes and got back into the game, 40-33. "The third quarter was a disaster defensively. We let McPherson score in transition too often and we fouled too much as well. I didn't think our intensity and commitment to playing our principles was good and it bled into our offensive productivity as well. It was not a solid ten minutes and we let McPherson back in the game," explained Coach.
The Bluejays secured the victory against the Bulldogs, 58-43. Coach Reed said, "In the fourth quarter, we buckled down defensively and held Mac to 20% shooting from the field and just 10 points. Our defense really sparked our offense and we also started to move the ball better as well which led to better productivity for us."
"I thought our point guards (Ja'Neysha and Miyah) did a tremendous job of taking care of the basketball and handling McPherson's pressure. We only had 12 turnovers in the game and those two only combined for one of those turnovers. Ja'Neysha also had an incredible game defensively. To grab seven rebounds in a game is an incredible accomplishment and I thought Ja'Neysha had really active hands throughout the game," continued Reed.
"Alyvia was solid for us inside, especially in the fourth quarter. She was seeing a lot of double teams and I thought she did a great job of passing out of those situations. Late in the game, she was able to find some openings and finish shots around the rim which helped our productivity. Our bench was again a major factor for us tonight in the game. Our subs outscored Mac 24-9 in the contest and that continues to be one of the greatest strengths of our team. Lillie and Kloe had the best nights for us off the bench but I thought everyone played well," Coach said.
"We earned the #1 seed and we will host a very good Bethel team on Wednesday at Tabor. I think Bethel is one of the most improved teams in the KCAC this year. Coach Lamar has done an amazing job with them and we know it will be a very challenging game," Finished Coach Reed.
The Bluejays overall record is now 24-4 and 21-1 in the KCAC. The ladies host the first round of the KCAC Basketball Tournament and will take on Bethel College at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb 28th.
Be sure to stay updated with all information regarding Bluejay Athletics by following us on X at @gotaborbluejays, on Instagram and Facebook @taborbluejays, and on our official athletic website, taborbluejays.com.
Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).
