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Kenyon College Athletics

61
Winner Ohio Wesleyan OWU 19-2,10-1 NCAC
59
Kenyon Kenyon 6-16,1-10 NCAC
Winner
Ohio Wesleyan OWU
19-2,10-1 NCAC
61
Final
59
Kenyon Kenyon
6-16,1-10 NCAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ohio Wesleyan OWU 18 13 13 17 61
Kenyon Kenyon 16 16 6 21 59
Anissa Hardy
Khaliun Ganibal

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Owls’ upset spoiled by Bishops’ late basket

GAMBIER, Ohio – For the third time in four games, the Kenyon College women's basketball team took on a top 15-ranked North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC)  opponent, welcoming No. 10 Ohio Wesleyan to Tomisch Arena on Wednesday night. 

After battling back from a dry spell in the third quarter to take a lead into the final minute of regulation, the Bishops were able to score a contested jumper with 0.5 seconds to spare, spoiling the Owls comeback 61-59. 

Kenyon battled to a 32-31 advantage after 20 minutes, but after halftime the offense went unexpectedly cold. The Owls shot just 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) in the third quarter and lost the rebounding edge 13-11. However, on the other end of the court, the defense held the top-ranked Ohio Wesleyan offense to 4-of-15 (26.7 percent) from the field and forced three turnovers. With ten minutes to play, the Bishops still held a narrow six point edge at 44-38, but Kenyon was not out of reach. 

The Owls responded in the fourth with their best offensive stretch of the game, firing 21 points and shooting 9-of-14 (64.3 percent) from the field. Susannah Zimmerman led the team in the early goings of the quarter, and Kiana Mollabashy added her third triple of the game to set the score at 52-47 with five minutes to play. 

Kenyon hit another gear down the stretch, as Abby Burdette led the team with six points on two threes and the team hit 5-of-6 (83.3 percent) of shots from the field. Thanks to a big turnaround layup from Anissa Hardy, the Owls led 59-57 with 61 seconds remaining. 

However, those would be the last Kenyon points of the game, as a foul on the other end led to two made free throws, and a missed jumper on the next possession gave Ohio Wesleyan the ball back. With just 0.5 seconds to play and the shot clock expired, Kendall Dieringer heaved up a contested jumper to take the game. 

Back in the first half, both teams started out relatively slow from the field, but it was Ohio Wesleyan who was able to capture a narrow edge. Burdette splashed in a three early on, and supplemented by baskets from Hardy and Antonia Marzini, the Owls trailed 8-7 with five minutes to play in the first quarter. 

To close the opening quarter, the offenses heated up, as the Owls went 4-of-8 (50 percent) from the floor with five points from Mollabashy and four from Alyssa Horsley. The Bishops netted 4-of-6 (66.6 percent) of their baskets including two threes to take a 18-16 lead after 10 minutes. 

Two layups from Hardy in the early goings of the second quarter allowed Kenyon to take its first lead of the game at 20-18 with 7:45 to play in the half, as the Owls hit four of five shots to open the second. After Ohio Wesleyan regained the lead, a nice triple from Mollabashy tied the game at 27 with 4:38 in the half. Rae Oberster and Burdette combined for five points in the final minutes of the half to give Kenyon a 32-31 advantage, setting up the rollercoaster second half. 

Mollabashy led the team with 13 points, while Burdette (11) and Hardy (10) joined her in double figures. Hardy led the team with 14 rebounds, which tied a career high for the senior, while Zimmerman led the Owls with three assists and Burdette swiped two steals. 

Kenyon drops to 6-16 on the season and 1-10 in the NCAC. The Owls will host their final home game of the season on Saturday, February 14 at 1:00 p.m. where Kenyon will host DePauw University and celebrate the 2026 senior class. 


 
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