Hot Shooting St. Mary's Bears Take Down Concordia Girls, 58-45

The St. Mary's Bears Girls Basketball team shot 67 percent from the field Saturday, January 28th in a 58-45 win over Concordia in the final day of the 2023 Hiawatha Girls Invitational Basketball Tournament.  Junior Guard Catherine Moylan hit five three-pointers to finish with 15 points, and Sophomores Hayden Heim and Isabel Hurla also posted 15 points each as the Bears improved to 5-7 overall.  The Panthers dropped to 3-10.

St. Mary's jumped out to an 11-0 lead three minutes in as Moylan drilled three early shots from behind the arc.  Hurla connected on an early three-point make of her own while the Bears also registered six points in the paint to grab an 18-8 advantage at the end of the first period.

Three of Concordia's five made field-goals in the opening half came from long-range, as Senior Guard Hanna Acree, Sophomore Guard Kinsleigh Bethune, and Freshman Wing Charlize Cash each knocked down a triple.  The Bears added two more three-pointers of their own in the second frame and carried a 32-16 lead into the locker room after shooting 63.1 percent from the floor.

Cash scored 9 of Concordia's 14 points in the third quarter, making three treys in the period.  St. Mary's, led by the inside post presence of Heim, a 6'1" Sophomore, and 5'10" Junior Brenna Smith, maintained a 16 point lead at 46-30 entering the fourth.

The Panthers managed cut the lead all the way down to nine points midway through the fourth quarter when Bethune found Sophomore Post Taylor McDaniel in the lane for a two-point basket.  The Bears responded, closing out the game on a 7-3 run to hand Concordia their second loss of the tournament.

St. Mary's outrebounded the Panthers 27-24 and shot 22-of-33 (66.7 percent) from the field, including 9-of-16 (56.3 percent) from behind the arc.  Smith joined Heim, Hurla and Moylan in double-figures with 10 points.

Concordia ended up 15-of-47 (31.9 percent) from the floor, including 7-of-23 (30.4 percent) from three-point range.  The team made 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from the foul line and forced the Bears into committing 18 turnovers.

McDaniel shot 4-of-7 from the floor and 6-of-9 from the charity stripe to lead Concordia with 14 points and 5 rebounds.  McDaniel was named our Nex-Tech Wireless MVP of the Game.

Cash added 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals, receiving our H&R Block of the Game.  Cash was also named to the All-Tournament Team at this week's Hiawatha Invitational Tournament after she averaged 9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 4 assists during Concordia's three tournament games.

Acree scored 8 points with 6 from behind the arc.  Junior Carlie Carlgren finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals.  Bethune had 3 points, and Senior Cianna DeLeon ended up with 2 points and 3 rebounds.

The Panthers return home Tuesday, January 31st for a 6 pm matchup against the Clifton-Clyde Eagles.  Live coverage of the game can be heard on 1390 KNCK, 98.3 FM and NCKToday.com.