GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The 14th-ranked Siena Heights women's basketball team survived in a low scoring 51-42 win on the road against Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) opponent Aquinas. Kiana Votava (Port Huron, Mich.) finished with 12 points and five rebounds to help the Saints in the win.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Siena Heights 51, Aquinas 42
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan (Sturrus Center)
Records: Siena Heights (23-2, 15-1 WHAC), Aquinas (14-11, 10-6 WHAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The teams traded scores to a tie at six points before a 5:38 shooting drought took effect that was broken when Shelby Morrow (Flushing, Mich.) hit a three-point jumper to give Siena a 10-6 lead. The last basket in the first came in the final five seconds when Allye Minor (Bryan, Ohio) drilled a three to push the SHU lead to 13-6.
Marissa Brady hit a layup for Aquinas at 9:42 to end the host Saints scoring woes that lasted 7:47 of game time. A 9-0 run for Siena Heights created the game's first double-digit lead, 24-10, with 2:59 remaining before the half, Votava hit a jumper from beyond the arc to respond to an Aquinas three to keep the SHU lead to 14 points with 1:45 left in the first half. The Saints traded baskets before the AQ Saints scored a triple to end the half with an 11-point deficit, 29-18.
The scoring troubles continued for both teams in the second half. Aquinas made the first field goal of the third with 6:56 left on the clock to cut the SHU Saint lead to nine points, 29-20. Votava made a layup to rebuild the 11-point lead, but a three-point jumper by Aquinas cut it to eight points with 6:06 left on the clock. Peyton Banks (Wadsworth, Mich.) made both of her free-throw attempts at the 3:42 mark to put Siena up by 10, 33-23. The host Saints were able to come within seven points of tying SHU, 37-30 when the third quarter ended.
A 6-0 run by the home Saints in the opening three minutes brought Aquinas within a single point of tying the score. The teams traded baskets before Votava made a layup that sparked a 7-0 run to build an eight-point cushion, 46-38, with 2:18 left in regulation. With the score at 48-42, Aquinas is forced to foul, but the Saints make five of their six free-throw attempts to seal the win for Siena.
TOP SAINTS
• Demi Russell (Toledo, Ohio) had a game-high 13 points on 6-15 shooting from the floor. She hauled in seven rebounds, dished three assists, had two steals, and two blocks.
• Votava added two assists, a steal, and a block to her stat line.
• Banks finished with eight points that included her going 4-4 from the free-throw line. She remains perfect from the charity stripe in the past three games.
• Addyson Tomczak (Bay City, Mich.) finished with eight points and one each in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
THE OPPOSITION
• JaKarri Alven led Aquinas with nine points on 4-10 shooting. She also had two rebounds and three assists.
• Marissa Brady finished with eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
• Camaryia Williams scored seven points, six rebounds, and three assists.
UP NEXT
The Saints host UM-Dearborn this Saturday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m., EST. The game is the Annual Pink Game in the SHU Fieldhouse.
