The Benedictine women’s basketball team returned home on Tuesday night for their first game inside the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium since Nov. 8.
Benedictine (4-4) moved back to .500 on the season with a nine-point win over Bethel (Kan.) College, 65-56.
After playing to a tie at 30 points at halftime, the Ravens used a 15 for 20 effort at the charity stripe in the second half to overcome a slow start to the final 20 minutes and earn the win.
Benedictine turned a five-point lead at the midpoint of the first half into a 27-13 advantage with six minutes and 21 seconds left in the first half.
Bethel responded outscoring the Ravens 17-3 over the final six minutes of the half to pull the score even at halftime.
Both teams converted 33.3 percent from the floor in the first half with the Threshers knocking down one more field goal.
In the second half, Bethel went to full-court pressure that forced Benedictine into back-to-back turnovers which led to an early four-point advantage for the Threshers.
The lead changed hands six times in the second half before Benedictine’s Lexi Villegas went to the line for the bonus with just over five minutes remaining in the game.
Benedictine converted on 13 of 17 free throws over the final five minutes of the game and got a basket in the paint from Jayde Reid with three minutes and 23 seconds remaining to remain in front of Bethel and earn the win.
Jackie Ziesel scored a game-high 18 points for the Ravens to lead three players in double figures. Chayla Rutledge scored 14 points followed by Alexa Taff with 10. Reid added 7 points off a 3 for 3 effort from the floor while Villegas finished with 6 points as she went 6 fof 6 from the charity stripe.
Bethel was led in scoring by the 14 points of April Harpe.
Benedictine finished the game hitting 24 of 30 at the free throw line as they converted a new season high for made free throws. The Ravens also forced the Threshers in to 24 turnovers, setting a new single-game high for opponent turnovers. Those 24 turnovers led directly to 20 points as the Ravens finished the game with a 20-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
The Ravens remain at home for their next game, at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2 as they host the College of St. Mary.
— BC Sports Information —