Scots Comeback Falls Short at Lawrence

Jones Posts Double Double in Loss

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (01/20/2024) — The Monmouth College women's basketball team battled back on Saturday but ultimately fell at Lawrence 60-56.

Danielle Beach (Geneseo, Illinois) started the scoring with a bucket on Monmouth's first possession. The Scots led 4-2 until Lawrence went on an 8-0 run. Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois) ended the run with a 3-point play and the Vikings led 16-7 after the first quarter.

Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) scored to start the second quarter and answered a Lawrence bucket with a layup. Jadyn Mitchell (Flanagan, Illinois) made two free throws and hit a 3-pointer to cut the LU lead to 17-16. The Vikings scored five straight before Mitchell hit another 3-pointer and Jones made a pair of free throws. Two Mitchell free throws cut the Lawrence lead to 25-23 with 4:00 left in the half. Jones tied the game with a jumper and after the Vikings scored four in a row, Jones made two free throws. Lawrence scored to end the half with a 31-27 lead.

Mitchell hit a 3-pointer to start the second half, cutting the Lawrence lead to one. The VIkings went on a 15-3 run with Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) making a free throw and Jones made a layup. Olivia Dinges (Amboy, Illinois) scored, as did Danielle Beach (Geneseo, Illinois) before Mitchell made another 3-pointer. Dinges added a free throw to cut the Lawrence lead to 48-41 before the hosts scored to end the quarter.

Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) scored to start the fourth quarter and Beach converted a 3-point play. Mitchell scored in the lane to cut the Lawrence lead to 52-48. Goodrich scored and Beach made two free throws as Lawrence led 55-52 with 5:16 to play. Delaney Scheidenhelm (New Berlin, Illinois) scored with 3:38 to play but the Vikings answered a minute later. The Scots missed a game-tying 3-pointer but Jones got the rebound, got fouled, and made both free throws with 48 seconds left. The Scots forced a miss and got the rebound but missed two free throws with 27 seconds remaining. The Vikings split free throws to lead 58-56 and Monmouth got the ball back with 24 seconds left. After Monmouth missed a 3-pointer, Lawrence hit two free throws to ice the game with a 60-56 win.

Mitchell led the Scots with 18 points while Jones had 13 and Beach scored 10. Jones had a team-leading 10 rebounds, three more than Goodrich.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Mitchell has scored in double figures seven times this season and 17 times in her Monmouth career. She has a career-high 18 points in two straight games. Mitchell was 4-for-7 from 3-point range and is 9-for-15 the last two games. Jones has scored 10 or more nine times this season and 13 times overall. She also had her first career double-double with a career-high 10 rebounds. Beach has four games this season in double figures. Beach added a career-high five steals and she has at least two steals in nine games this season. The Scots won the rebound battle 36-32. Monmouth leads the all-time series 30-19. The Scots won in Appleton 52-48 last season and 7-3 overall in the last 10 against the Vikings. The teams will play again in Iowa on Feb. 17. The Fighting Scots next play at home Tuesday against Lake Forest, following the men's 5:30 p.m. contest.