Third quarter scoring elevates Griffins over Eureka

St. Louis, Mo. - Fontonne snaps a two-game losing streak after uprooting Eureka at home 76-57. The win puts the Griffins closer to an even conference record as they sit 3-4 so far.

After securing the first basket, Fontbonne fell behind with Eureka's pressing 2-6 until the Griffins handed their opponent a dose of their own medicine and tied the game 8-8.  

In an unusual case, Emmie Haring missed an open layup after Lauren Willis sniped a would-be Eureka pass, but made up for it with a laser of a skipper to the baseline for Molly Ray who cut Eureka's lead to two points. With Fontbonne fans used to seeing Haring strip the ball, the junior dove on the floor and was fouled. She tied the game after sinking both free-throws. Two Eureka charges and back-to-back Fontbonne three-pointers put the Griffins up 19-13 to end the first quarter. Eureka's Kelsey Forsythe had a chance to score again before the quarter was over, previously scoring the Red Devils' first 9 of 11 points but failed at the charity stripe.

The Griffins opted to sit Haring with two fouls as well as Hollander to open second quarter play which resulted in two minutes and 20 seconds of scoreless basketball. Eureka broke the silence with back-to-back treys to tie the game, but Fontbonne led 30-28 and closed out the final 1:21 with six straight points as the Red Devils committed three turnovers.

Leading 36-28 to open second-half play, the Griffins dominated third quarter action 18-9 after Eureka connected on only two of their 12 attempts from beyond the arc. After leading 54-37 heading into the final frame, DeAmbra Pilkinton stole an inbounds pass and sent it straight up the middle of the court to Haring. Fontbonne fans anticipated a layup as Haring was under the basket, but the point guard threw a back pass to Erika Kuhn who finished the fast break. The Griffins went on an 8-1 run to lead 62-43 with 8:28 left to play. Haring and Olivia Hollander each recorded their fourth foul with over seven minutes still to play, but Pilkinton made sure the Griffin's lead stuck as the junior drained each of her four attempts in the field.

Overall, Fontbonne out-rebounded the Red Devils 40-32 and out-shot them in all categories as well, including an 81.8% free-throw accuracy. A relatively even turnover ratio turned in favor of the Griffins who scored 26 points to Eureka's 16 from the mistakes.

Pilkinton led Fontbonne with 19 points and three steals while Kuhn tallied 12 points and seven rebounds and Haring marked 12 of her own with five assists and three steals. Molly Ray and Willis each produced timely defensive rebounds with Ray adding 10 points for the Griffins as well.

The win snaps a two-game skid for the Griffins while Eureka loses their fourth game in a row. Fontbonne hosts Principia College this Saturday, January 16th at noon.