Strong Second Half Pushes Bluejays past Eagles

HILLSBORO, Kan. – After a solid first half from Avila, Tabor (9-6, 7-3 KCAC) put all the pieces together in all phases of the game after halftime, helping the Bluejays coast to a 69-31 victory over the Eagles (2-14, 2-8 KCAC) on Saturday evening in Hillsboro.

Hannah Smith got the visitors on the board early, knocking down a corner three to put Avila in front 3-1 in the first few minutes. Tabor then reeled off nine straight points to gradually build an early lead, but Kaytee Frasher answered with five straight points of her own to keep Avila right within reach, 12-8 after ten minutes.

Buckets from Emily Baldwin and Daisy Washington followed by a Kayla Navy steal and score helped keep the Eagles firmly within reach of the Bluejays halfway through the second quarter. But then the Bluejays made their first big push of the contest, taking advantage of a couple of turnovers to produce a 9-0 run down the stretch of the second quarter. Cecelia Eddy set up Smith for a clutch right wing three to stop the bleeding, but Madie McCoy hit a putback off her own miss in the final few seconds to send the Bluejays into the locker room up 30-18.

Known for both their three-point shooting and perimeter defense, the Bluejays began to put the clamps down on both ends of the floor after halftime to begin to move the game out of Avila's reach. Tabor hit a couple of threes and outscored Avila 19-5 in the third quarter, a trend that continued in the fourth quarter as Tabor continued to pull away, stretching the lead to as large as 40 before Daisy Washington hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to wrap things up 69-31 in favor of the Bluejays.

McCoy led all players with 13 points off the bench. Other than that, the offense for the Bluejays was incredibly diverse and widespread: Kassidy Beam scored nine points, three players scored six or seven, and five players scored exactly four. Tabor shot 47% from the field and 45% from downtown. Smith knocked down all of her three-pointers to lead the Eales with nine points.

Up next, Avila women's basketball will return home to Mabee Fieldhouse for the first time in 2023 when the Eagles face the York Panthers for the first and only time this season on Wednesday, January 11. The women's game will tip off at 6 PM with the men to follow at 8; as always, you can watch all the action on the Avila Sports Network with Joe Van Amburg on the call from Kansas City.