HIGHLIGHTS

LIVONIA, Mich. – A tough shooting second half resulted in a 47-38 road setback for Macomb Women's Basketball Wednesday (Feb. 8) at No. 17 Schoolcraft College. The Ocelots, now 15-2 overall and 6-2 in the MCCAA East, erased a 26-22 Macomb lead at the half to snag the home victory. The loss sends the Monarchs to 14-6 overall and an even 4-4 in MCCAA East play.

The Monarchs started strong and led for most of the opening half, including a 15-11 edge after one quarter of play. Up 12-11, Kamryn Richards (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) drained a corner 3-pointer as time expired in the first quarter to give the Monarchs the four point lead through 10 minutes of play.

Second quarter action saw the Monarchs and Ocelots exchange baskets with the Blue & White making key plays on both ends of the floor to earn a 26-22 halftime lead.

The rim was unkind to the Monarchs in the latter half as the host Ocelots overcame the two-possession halftime hole to win by nine, 47-38. The Monarchs shot 5-of-23 over the game's final 20 minutes to narrowly miss out on upending the nation's 17^th ranked team.

Richards and Tamia Tounsel (Shelby Twp., Mich./Dakota) paced the Monarchs with nine points each. Tounsel added a team-best eight rebounds while Richards dished out a team-leading three assists in limited second half action. Rayonna Armstrong (Toledo, Ohio/Notre Dame Academy) followed with seven points and Jasmine Ellis (Hazel Park, Mich./Michigan Math & Science) tallied five points and five rebounds in the back-and-forth road loss.

Jaelynn Jones (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) pulled down seven rebounds, one shy of her career-high, and Valina Hudgins (Warren, Mich./Lincoln) recorded five rebounds and four points.

The Monarchs remain on the road for a Saturday (Feb. 11) afternoon conference battle against the Henry Ford Hawks. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Dearborn.