Southeastern holds off Spartan comeback attempt

The Southwestern women’s basketball team twice cut Southeastern’s lead to single digits in the second half, but both times the Blackhawks came back with an answer, as Southeastern held on for a 69-54 win here Wednesday.

Trailing 40-28 at halftime, Southwestern stayed within the 10-13 point range until an 8-0 run got the Spartans back within six at 49-43 with just under 12:00 remaining to play.

Kourtni Stumpf grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and scored a reverse layup, and then Jamee Miner hit a floater to make the score 49-43.

“We made a run, and used our energy up making the run,” interim head coach Steve Tussey said. “The girls never give up. They execute the game plan. We normally make a run and then the timeout stops the momentum. We need to be within five or six at halftime, so that when you make that run you can catch them instead of getting within six at the end of the run.”

Jacey Hartweg answered the Spartan run with back-to-back 3-pointer to quickly stretch the lead back to 55-43 for the Blackhawks.

Hartweg, shooting just 16 percent for the season on 3-pointers during conference play, sank seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points, oftentimes sinking those shots at crushing times for the Spartans.

After a Miner layup in transition cut the Blackhawk lead to 60-52, Miner had an opportunity to make it a six-point game once again with another layup in transition, but drew just enough contact to alter the shot.

From that point, Southeastern closed the game on a 9-2 run.

Southwestern started the game well, getting open looks and hitting shots, even holding a 17-16 lead after a Brittany Clark free throw.

“If we’re making shots and keeping our turnovers down, then we’re pretty consistent,” Tussey said. “We get into several possessions where we get unforced turnovers and don’t get shots, that’s where we fell behind a little bit.”

Miner scored 25 to lead the Spartans, while Kaley Folkerts pitched in 11 points thanks to three 3-pointers.

The Spartans, now 0-23 overall and 0-10 in ICCAC play, host Northeast Community College (Neb.) at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

SOUTHEASTERN (69) — Jacey Hartweg 8 0-0 23, Ksenia Sharan 7 1-4 15, Pearl Paulo 5 1-2 11, Sheila Klieber 3 1-2 7, Kiara Washington 1 2-2 5, Natalia Merkulova 2 1-4 5, Brittany Bryan 1 0-0 3. Totals — 27 6-14 69. 3-point goals — 9 (Hartweg 7). Team
fouls — 13. Fouled out  — None.

SOUTHWESTERN (54) — Jamee Miner 11 2-2 25, Kaley Folkerts 4 0-0 11, Darian Polson 3 0-0 6, Kourtni Stumpf 1 1-2 3, Brittany Clark 1 1-3 3, Morgan Knorr 1 0-0 2, Miranda Williams 1 0-1 2, Maddie Wagler 0 1-2 1, Taylor Zimmerman 0 1-2 1. Totals — 22 6-12 54. 3-point goals — 4 (Folkerts 3). Team fouls — 10. Fouled out  — None.

SECC — 40 69

SWCC — 28 54