Click the thumbnails to see video highlights from Bay's comeback attempt, and to hear post-game comments from Coach James Fassett. Also click the AUDIO button to hear Olivia Kelly-Taylor's player spotlight interview.
DEARBORN, Mich.---The Bay College Norse women's basketball team lost its first road game of the season on Friday, falling to the Henry Ford Hawks, 73-46, in suburban Detroit.
The Norse were outscored 28-9 in the second quarter, and trailed, 41-20, at halftime. Bay had a strong third quarter and closed to within 12 at 49-37 with 1:47 left in the period. The Norse could get no closer and their record fell to 0-2 on the season.
“It was that second quarter,” Norse Coach James Fassett said. “We were hoping for a better quarter. They shifted and went zone on us part way through the quarter, and that kind of stifled our offense. So, we prepared, and in the second half we were able to beat their zone, score, and have a better third quarter. But we're still struggling to get stops.”
Kennedy Robinson led the Norse with 15 points, including six during Bay's comeback in that third quarter. Jaiden Hall went to work inside and scored six of her eight points in that quarter, and Chloe Robinson also scored eight points. Her triple brought the Norse to within 12 points, but it was the only triple the team would muster all evening.
Henry Ford (3-0) got 28 points from Layla Marshall (including four triples), and Teona Gillette added 19 points. She had 14 of those points in the first half.
Bay College heads downstate again to compete at the Thumb Coast Classic tournament in Port Huron next week, with six of the eight teams having competed in last year's NJCAA Division Two national tournament.
The Norse will take part in the tournament banquet Wednesday night, and open tournament play with a 1:00 game on Thursday against the Illinois Central College Cougars. The game will be broadcast live on Maverick 106.3 FM.
“It will be a great experience for our kids,” Fassett said. “A good opportunity. We'll get to see some really good basketball, and play against some really good basketball teams. We've just got to prepare one day at a time. Like I told our kids, in the game, we can't worry about the score. We've got to get 1-0 possessions. Let's win this possession, win that possession, and we've got to stack good days of practice.”
