SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – Claire Rake and Adylan Ayer finished with 22 points apiece as the Maryville women's basketball team used a big fourth-quarter rally in an 81-68 triumph at Illinois Springfield. The Saints scored 19 of the final 22 points in the game and did not allow UIS a field goal the last five minutes. Rake drilled four 3-pointers in the last five minutes of the game to key the late push to record her season high, while Ayer tied her career best output. During the contest, two career milestones were surpassed. Gracie Stugart went over the 500-assist mark for her career, while, Rake exceeded 200 made 3-pointers in her career.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing by two, Stugart tied the game with a bucket. Adylan Ayer sank a trey to put the Saints on top 13-10, and her layup gave the Saints a 15-12 lead after the first. She continued her spree with a triple in the opening moments of the second quarter. Lindsey Schadewalt sank a trey, and after a Claire Rake layup, her jumper staked the Saints to their largest lead of the half at 27-19. Maryville took a 31-27 advantage into the break.
 
 
UIS grabbed 35-33 cushion in the third before 3-pointers by Rake and Ayer gave the Saints a 39-37 margin. Olivia Hahn connected from beyond the arc and she added a layup for a 48-46 lead. However, UIS scored the final seven points of the quarter to grab a 53-48 edge going into the final quarter.
 
 
The Prairie Stars were still leading 61-55 early in the fourth before Maryville used a quick 5-0 run. Annika Pluemer had a three-point play before Faith Hawthorne sank two free throws to trim the gap to one point. The Saints tied the score at 65-all on a Rake triple with just over five minutes to play. Two free throws by Ayer pushed the Saints ahead, and Rake capped the burst with a 3-pointer for a 70-65 lead. UIS made one free throw but the Saints tallied the next 11 points. Rake splashed in a 3-pointer and Ayer made two more at the line. After Rake's fourth triple in just over three minutes, Hahn connected from deep to seal Maryville's third straight victory.
 
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points: Adylan Ayer and Claire Rake - 22
Rebounds: Gracie Stugart - 11
Assists: Gracie Stugart - 8
3-Pointers: Claire Rake - 6
Steals: five players - 1
Blocked Shots: Caden Krohn - 1
 
RECORDS:
Maryville: 11-11, 9-5 GLVC
Illinois Springfield: 5-18, 4-11 GLVC
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Saints are back at home Thursday, Feb. 13, in a 5:15 p.m. contest in Moloney Arena against Upper Iowa. The game is the annual "Pink Out" contest for the women's basketball team. Read Full Article