BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - Tiffin was able to work its offense and defense Saturday against Ferris State, keeping the game close and giving itself a chance to win.
Until the final four minutes.
Melissa Gilliland's jumper with 4:17 left in regulation trimmed the Bulldogs' lead to 51-50. It was the Dragons' last basket. Ferris State finished the game on a 10-1 run and won, 61-51.
"I definitely feel we worked the ball better and were a lot more patient, that's an improvement," said Tiffin coach Pam Oswald after her team dipped to 3-4, 1-3 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. "Next step is we've got to be able to finish games."
Jillian Adams had 14 points to lead TU, while Jessica Harris recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Stephanie Kelly had 10 points for TU.
Fact Box
Mount Union 68,
Heidelberg 67
Heidelberg (4-4, 0-3): Quintin Aden Jr. 2-0-5; Dane Givner 2-3-7; Ishaam Smith Jr. 4-2-13; Jackson Blue 2-0-4; Nate Davis 8-2-18; Cody Blizzard 0-7-7; Mike Petrie 1-0-2; Lee Renner 0-0-0; Cortey Edwards 0-3-3; Ricky Slaughter 1-2-4; Jack Hart 2-0-4; Josh Pollner 0-0-0. Totals: 22-19-67.
Mount Union (3-5, 2-1): Justen Little 0-0-0; Cody Dillon 0-2-2; Nate Jacubec 7-1-19; Jarrett Ruffin 3-2-8; Matt Kiger 2-4-8; Taylor Moore 3-5-11; Evan Keeslar 2-2-6; T.J. Gillespie 1-1-3; Kyle Scelza 0-0-0; Jerod Lane 2-1-5; Jimmy Darnley 3-0-6. Totals: 23-18-68.
Halftime: Mount Union, 36-35.
Field goals: Heidelberg 22-56; Mount Union 23-50.
3-point goals: Heidelberg 4-14 (Smith 3, Aden Jr.); Mount Union 4-16 (Jacubec 4).
Foul shots: Heidelberg 19-26; Mount Union 18-24.
Rebounds: Heidelberg 35 (Davis 11); Mount Union 33 (Dillon 5, Jacubec 5, Moore 5).
Turnovers: Heidelberg 13; Mount Union 17.
Assists: Heidelberg 10 (Aden Jr. 3, Givner 3, Davis 3); Mount Union 11 (Gillespie 4).
Ferris State 86, Tiffin 70
Tiffin (3-5, 1-3): Mike Boan 2-1-5; Michael Bouley 3-4-10; Cody Dennison 2-2-6; Eric Roby 3-0-6; Joe Graessle 7-9-24; Isaiah Twine 3-2-9; Mike Brown 0-0-0; Mohamed Rage 0-0-0; Andrew Bendolph 1-0-2; Jonathan Sutherlin 0-0-0; Khaleal McCormick 2-4-8. Totals: 23-22-70.
Ferris State (4-3, 3-1): Kenny Brown 3-10-18; Dietrich Lever 4-0-9; Jared Stolicker 4-3-11; Drew Lehman 7-2-20; Daniel Sutherlin 2-9-13; Milton Cribbs 0-3-3; Jibreel Jackson 1-1-3; Matt Sinnaeve 0-0-0; Trent Messer 3-1-7; Raymoan McAfee 1-0-2. Totals: 25-29-86.
Halftime: Ferris State 33-29.
Field goals: Tiffin 23-67; Ferris State 25-60.
3-point goals: Tiffin 2-17 (Graessle, Twine); Ferris State 7-21 (Lehman 4, Brown 2, Lever)
Foul shots: Tiffin 22-30; Ferris State 29-42.
Rebounds: Tiffin 49 (Boan 9); Ferris State 41 (Stolicker 14).
Turnovers: Tiffin 13; Ferris State 8.
Assists: Tiffin 6 (Brown 2, Roby 2); Ferris State 14 (Lever 5).
Ferris State 61, Tiffin 51
Tiffin (3-4, 1-3): Mackenzie Storlie 0-4-4; Stephanie Kelly 3-2-10; Melissa Gilliland 3-0-6; Jessica Harris 5-2-13; Jillian Adams 6-2-14; Mary Kate Campbell 0-0-0; Jordan Fraley 1-0-2; Macy Byrd 0-0-0; Jessica Farr 0-0-0; Erica Mathis 1-0-2. Totals: 19-10-51.
Ferris State (4-3, 3-1): Kylie Muntz 1-2-4; Kara Hess 5-0-11; Sarah DeShone 6-7-20; Ashley Rando 3-0-6; Hannah Hoffman 3-2-8; Caitlin Carmody 1-0-2; April LaCross 0-0-0; Katie Mavis 2-1-6; Felicia Standley 1-0-3. Totals: 22-12-61.
Halftime: Tiffin, 27-26.
Field goals: Tiffin 19-59; Ferris State 22-54.
3-point goals: Tiffin 3-14 (Stephanie 2, Harris); Ferris State 5-20 (Muntz, Hess, DeShone, Carmody, Mavis)
Foul shots: Tiffin 10-16; Ferris State 12-15.
Rebounds: Tiffin 30 (Harris 10); Ferris State 48 (Hess 8).
Turnovers: Tiffin 18; Ferris State 22.
Assists: Tiffin 8 (Storlie 3); Ferris State 10 (Muntz
Ferris State (4-3, 3-1), which began the year ranked in the Division II top 25, was led by Sarah DeShone's 20 points and six rebounds. Kara Hess had 11 points and 10 boards.
Dragons can't keep up with Bulldogs
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - John Hill described Saturday's loss to Ferris State as "disappointing."
The fourth-year TU coach said he thought the Dragons had a chance to win coming in, and his squad played a competitive first half.
But TU's defense allowed 53 points in the second half, and its offense couldn't capitalize on opportunities in a 86-70 loss.
"They put a spurt together and we couldn't fight back," Hill said. "We had 22 offensive rebounds and couldn't put the ball back in the basket."
Tiffin (3-5, 1-3 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) out-rebounded Ferris State 49-41, led by Mike Boan's nine boards. But the Dragons made just 27 of 63 shots, including a frigid 2 of 17 from 3-point range.
Joe Graessle scored 24 points to lead TU, but only one other player - Michael Bouley - scored in double digits. He had 10.
"We have to have a garbage man, someone to get the easy points," Hill said.
Drew Lehman led Ferris State (4-3, 3-1) with 20 points, and Jared Stolicker had 11 points and 14 rebounds. Kenny Brown, one of the Bulldogs' most dangerous players, had 18 points, but went only 2 of 12 from the floor.
HU men come up just short
ALLIANCE - Nate Davis' jumper at the buzzer missed, and Heidelberg's men came up just short against Mount Union,
The Purple Raiders (3-5, 2-1 Ohio Athletic Conference) got 19 points from Nate Jacubec, and edged the Student Princes, 68-67 in Alliance.
As for Davis, he had another big game for Heidelberg, as he scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had four steals. He also notched a key three-point play in the final minutes that tied the game.
Ishaam Smith had 13 points for Heidelberg (4-4, 0-3), which shot 22 of 56 from the floor. The Student Princes were better from the line, making 19 of 26 foul shots.
