With 2:21 remaining, McMurry trailed 60-53 and began fouling Stout on every possession in order to close the margin. Part of the strategy worked as Stout hit just 2 of its last 10 free-throw attempts. However, McMurry’s offense couldn’t put anything together.
Four players scored in double figures for Stout as Kelsey Duoss, Julia Hirssig and Jenny McDermid all scored 12 points apiece and Lindsey Geissler added 10 points. Stout out-rebounded McMurry 51-43 and kept McMurry’s hot-shooting team to just 34 percent for the entire contest.
Tarra Richardson matched her season high with 28 points and she added 15 rebounds. Maigen Sawyer added 13 points on 5 of 19 shooting. Allison Nelson had six points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort for McMurry.
Stout had McMurry against the ropes for the entire first period causing the team to shoot well below its season average in field goals, 3-pointers and free throws. McMurry was just 12 of 33 from the floor, 2 of 9 from behind the arc and was a dismal 6 of 14 from the free-throw line in the opening period. Still, thanks to Richardson’s bucket at the buzzer, McMurry trailed just 38-32 at half despite the poor offensive performance.
Friday’s tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. Concordia-Chicago is 4-5 on the season.