Park University's women's basketball program had a weekend matchup with Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo. on Saturday, coming out on top of the Eagles 76-71.  

The Pirates jump to 7-7 and 4-6 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, while Central Methodist now carries identical season and conference records. The Pirates have jumped the Eagles in the Heart standings and are now 7^th, while Central Methodist are in the No. 8 spot.

This is the first time the Pirates have triumphed over the Eagles in the last five matchups. The only exception was in 2021-22 Park gained a win on a Central Methodist Covid-19 forfeit.

This is the second time this season that Park has defeated a school with a Heart Player of the Week coming into the contest. The last time was against Missouri Valley in Breckon Sports Center and now the Eagles are added to that list. Zutorya Cook was the conference player of the week from January 2 on a 14 point, five rebound, and five assist performance.

Cook was held under her season average of 15.2 points per game, while Emma Perry and Iva Drobnjak out-performed Cook with 19 and 16 points, respectively. Both Pirates earned new season-highs in points in this game.

A big key to victory was matching the Eagles in three-point percentage and even had one more made three-pointer than the home team. Already mentioned, Perry and Drobnjak played pivotal roles in the three-point shooting with three made three-pointers apiece.

Scores on back-to-back possessions gave the Pirates a 6-2 lead on buckets from Mikayla Artis and Perry with 7:52 remaining in the first quarter. An 8-0 run flipped the lead in the game to 10-6 Eagles. After a Marina Perdiguero layup, the Pirates regrouped with a Norman Kenneth Cooper Jr. timeout at 4:46. A well-timed break, as the Pirates jolted to an 7-0 run capped off by a Drobjnak three-point shot and a Nevaeh Spillman lay-in for a 15-10 lead at 2:58. Angel Wiggins helped prevent the Eagles from breaching the lead with back-to-back possessions with three-point plays, an and-one followed by a shot from beyond the arc. As time ticked down, Park held on to a 21-15 lead going into the second quarter.

Kiersten Robbins put a good foot forward by starting off the second quarter with a bucket. She finished with four points and two steals in the game. Park remained out front in the early going of the second quarter, but then at 6:28 began a 6-0 run for a 29-19 lead at 5:33. A Perry three gave the Pirates their 10-point lead. Two separate five and four-point scoring runs for the Pirates opened up the lead to 14 points at 38-24 when the halftime horn sounded.

The Eagles were more sharp coming out of halftime and the 2023 NAIA National Tournament Semifinalist was looking to eat away at the Pirate lead with an 11-4 run in the first 3:32 of the third quarter. A huge lift came from Drobjnak with two consecutive three-pointers to reinstate a 13-point lead with 3:39 to go. This was a big moment down the stretch because the Eagles went on a 12-2 run to cut the lead down to only three points with under a minute to go in the third quarter. Drobjnak again came through with a two-point make to put Park up 56-51 to start the fourth quarter.

A 4-0 run began the fourth quarter for the Eagles to bring them within one point of Park, but Perdiguero answered with a bucket for the 58-55 lead. Two more three-pointers in the fourth quarter by Perry at 7:30 and 5:54 became game sealing plays though, restoring a seven-point lead for Park 64-57. Despite coming within four points in the last 1:36, free throws by Taylor Shelby and Spillman were enough for the 76-71 win.

There was no let down the entire game for Park as they never scored below 17 points in a quarter.

From the field Park shot 50-percent to the Eagles' 45.5-percent.

The Pirates controlled the boards with 34 rebounds compared to 27 for the Eagles. Drobnjak and Wiggins were the rebounding leaders with six and five, respectively.

The Eagles may have one the turnover battle with 16 turnovers compared to Park's 20, but shockingly the Pirates had 10 points off turnovers, while the Eagles laid an egg in this category.
Good production came off the bench with 20 points for Park to 17 for the Eagles.

Four Pirates were vying for double-figure scoring. Shelby was close at nine points, and her other three teammates contributed eight points, Perdiguero, Spillman, and Wiggins.

Park is back in Breckon Sports Center for the first time in 2024, as they host Grand View University at 5:30pm on Wednesday, January 10. WATCH

Box Score