Box Score NEVADA, Mo. -
Sydney Booker went 10-12 at the free-throw line - her most free throws made since Feb. 18, 2023, and three more than the Comets made as a team in as many attempts - for 10 of her team-high 14 points as William Woods University (7-11, 5-7 American Midwest Conference) lost 70-48 to Cottey College (13-6, 9-4) Tuesday at Hinkhouse Center. The matchup was originally scheduled for Jan. 7 but was rescheduled due to winter weather.
Peyton Dearing joined Booker in double figures scoring for the Owls, dropping 13 points (7-9 free throws) and adding three rebounds, two assists (team-high) and one steal.
Mariah Prince led The Woods' defense with a team-high seven boards while tying
Jersee Wren for a team-high two steals and
India Atkins and
Layla Young for a team-high one block.
The Comets controlled play early, taking two five-point leads, 7-2 and 9-4, within the first four minutes. WWU cut it to a one-possession game at 7-4 on
Katie Keilholz's jumper off a Booker defensive rebound and at 9-6 on two Booker free throws made following Atkins' defensive board with 4:31 left in the first quarter. Cottey stretched its advantage to 14-8, and then the Owls went on a 5-0 run, with Dearing tallying the last three points to bring it to a one-point game. With one second left in the first, the Comets sank a free throw to hold a 15-13 lead after the first 10 minutes.
William Woods stayed with Cottey for the first few minutes of the second quarter, reducing its deficit to a point (16-15) on two free throws made by Atkins. Following that, the Comets finished the first half on a 17-8 run. The Owls weren't as efficient offensively as they were in the first quarter, going 2-10 from the field, collecting one offensive rebound and turning it over five times, while Cottey went 7-15 from the field, brought down two offensive boards and turned it over three times in the second quarter. The Comets' more clinical offense allowed them to take a 33-23 lead at halftime.
Unfortunately for the Owls, Cottey snowballed its lead in the third quarter, earning its first 20-point cushion thanks to its 9-0 run that lasted 4:11. However, WWU plowed its deficit to 13 (47-34) with seven unanswered points, capped by a Wren 3-pointer after a Prince block and a defensive rebound by
Ruthie Brown. The Comets got a layup to fall for the final basket of the third, putting them up 49-34 heading into the fourth quarter.
While the Owls did convert 10-12 free throws, they only went 2-12 from the field and 0-5 from deep in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Cottey made 2-2 free throws while hitting a solid 7-13 from the field and 5-8 beyond the arc. That allowed the Comets to outscore WWU 21-14 and take the contest by 22 points.
For the game, the Owls posted 29 boards (six offensive) with 10 second-chance points, scored six points off seven forced turnovers and shot 22% (11-50) from the field, 10% (2-20) from 3-point range and 75% (24-32) from the free-throw line. The Comets notched 35 rebounds (six offensive) with five second-chance points, tallied 13 points off 12 forced turnovers and converted 43.3% (26-60) from the field, 44% (11-25) from deep and 58.3% (7-12) at the charity stripe.
William Woods heads home to host University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy in St. Louis (4-15, 4-9 AMC) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Anderson Arena in Fulton. The Owls seek to sweep the season series after beating the Eutectics 75-72 in overtime on Dec. 5 in St. Louis.
