By Grace Howard
The Grand Rapids Community College women’s basketball team took on Southwestern Michigan College on the road, Saturday Jan. 18. The Raiders fought until the buzzer but fell short in overtime, 74-69, against the Roadrunners.
From the opening tip, the Raiders made it clear they came to play. Sophomore Ava Schultz delivered a dominant performance, recording a double-double with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Her effort in the paint and crucial shooting kept the Raiders in the game, particularly during a tough third quarter when the Raiders shot just 20% from the field.
The Raiders’ resilience was evident, especially as they entered the fourth quarter trailing by eight. Redshirt freshman Tianna Daye stepped up with 15 points, including two key 3-pointers, while Sophomore Tia Richard chipped in 12 points and was a vital player on defense. GRCC’s rebounding effort, led by Schultz and freshman La’Anna Griffin who had nine rebounds, helped the team control the boards with 46 total rebounds while the Roadrunners had 51.
However, SMC capitalized on their opportunities at the free-throw line, which ended up being a key factor in the game’s outcome. Southwestern shot 69.4% from the line compared to GRCC’s 53.3%. In overtime, the Roadrunners made 12 of their 14 free throws, sealing the game despite the Raider’s best efforts.
For Southwestern, balanced scoring and game-changing moments was the key to their win. Freshmen Olivia Robinson and Rayvan Rush and sophomore Amara Palmer each scored 13 points, while freshman Caley Strahan came off the bench and added a crucial 14 points and six rebounds.
The Raiders showed a strong effort with shooting performance in the first half, going 47% from the field in the second quarter. However, turnovers and missed opportunities at the free-throw line cost them the win.
With conference play heating up, the Raiders will look to bounce back in their next matchup at Marian University-Ancilla on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 5:30 p.m. as they continue to chase their first on-the-road win of the season.
