Jimmies struggle offensively in 70-66 loss to Briar Cliff
Jan. 11—JAMESTOWN — For the second consecutive game, the University of Jamestown could not finish an upset over a ranked team. This time it was the No. 21-ranked Briar Cliff University coming to town and the Jimmies lost 70-66 on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at Harold Newman Arena.
"Do we want to win the last couple games," Jimmies head coach Thad Sankey said. "Absolutely, do we want to squeeze out a tight win over a top-level team here tonight? Yes, that's absolutely what we'd choose but we didn't and the definition of us and our identity is tied way more to how we respond to that than what the result of tonight's game was."
After both teams started a combined 6-for-7, the teams combined to finish the opening quarter 13-30. The Jimmies (12-5, 7-4) took their first lead of the game on a Kate Cordes layup to put her team up 12-11 with 3:50 to go in the first quarter. The Jimmies were able to push it out to as large as 20-13 on a Kia Tower three.
Early in the second quarter, the Chargers (13-4, 9-2) took the lead at 26-25 on a Madelyn Dietchler three. The Chargers were able to put up 21 points in the second quarter to head into the half up 37-33. The Jimmies were hurt in the first half by the Chargers' leading scorer Konnor Sudmann who finished the first half with 19 points.
The third quarter was all about runs as both teams had moments where they looked to put the game away. The Jimmies opened the third quarter with a run that saw them tie the game up at 45. The Jimmies kept it going retaking the lead at 50-49. But the Chargers responded with a run to take a 52-50 lead late in the third quarter.
After the Jimmies stretched the lead out to 61-57 early in the fourth quarter, the Chargers responded with an 8-0 run to take a 65-61 lead. With 1:45 to go in the game, the Jimmies' Audrey Rodakowski hit a layup to cut the deficit to 65-63. After a Chargers bucket made it 67-64, the Jimmies' Hannah DeMars was fouled and she split the pair to make it 67-66. After the Jimmies forced a turnover with 23.7 seconds to go, they had a chance to win it but a Kate Cordes three clanked off the front of the rim.
"I think we played a really tough nonconference (schedule) and then it also helps playing in the GPAC," Chargers head coach Brian Ortmeier said. "There's a lot of great teams in this league so you're getting pushed game in and game out and you're playing some of the best teams in the country. So, we've played several ranked teams already and I think it's helped prepare us for this moment."
Prior to the game and at halftime, Jimmies sophomore guard Madelyn Schmidt was warming up with her teammates for the first time this season as he recovers from a foot injury.
"For today on a game day, it's nice to get her into warm-ups," Sankey said. "It feels good for her, it's exciting for us. We love every time she takes that next step and adds a little bit back, a little bit more and more. So, mostly for her in the warm-ups that was her workout for today."
The Jimmies are back in action at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, when they host Concordia University.
BCU 70, UJ 66
BCU: 16 21 15 17 — 70
UJ: 20 13 19 14 — 66
Points leaders:
BCU: Konnor Sudmann 24, Payton Slaughter 23, Madelyn Deitchler 14
UJ: DeMars 21, Kia Tower 18, Kate Cordes 7
Assists leaders:
BCU: Sudmann 4, Peyton Wingert 2, Deitchler 1, Rachel Langel 1, Kaegan Held 1
UJ: DeMars 2, Jailyn Martinson 1, Audrey Rodakowski 1, Tower 1, Cordes 1, Kate Busek 1, Hannah Hagel 1
Leading rebounders:
BCU: Wingert 9, Slaughter 6, Sudmann 5
UJ: Hagel 11, DeMars 10, Busek 4
