Asbury (Ky.) comes up short in OT loss to Tabor (Kan.) in NAIA DII Sweet 16

3/12/2016 12:00:00 AM

By Jacob Knabel, Concordia (Neb.) Sports Information Director

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score - Bracket) The Cinderella run has ended for seventh-seeded Asbury (Ky.), which on Thursday booted No. 2 St. Francis (Ill.) from the 2016 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championships, presented by Mercy Medical Center and Seaboard Triumph Foods. In Friday's wild second-round action inside the Tyson Events Center, No. 3 Tabor (Kan.) survived and will live to tell about an 80-73 overtime win over the Eagles.

Head coach Shawn Reed's program will head to the national quarterfinals for the second-straight year. The Bluejays improved their overall record to 28-7. They are now 7-6 all-time at the national championships. Meanwhile, Asbury, winner of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament, bows out with a 2015-16 mark of 24-10.

A stunning 17-2 fourth-quarter splurge by Asbury wiped away a 12-point deficit and put Tabor on its heels. But an improbable hero in the form of sophomore Amber Bonham rose to the occasion and resuscitated a Bluejay squad that appeared ripe for a knockout blow. Trailing 65-62, Bohham hurled in a long triple with less than 20 seconds left in regulation that ultimately forced overtime.

Bonham then tallied five of her team high 19 points during the extra session. After the final seconds ticked away, several teammates ran out to midcourt to hug Bonham, who had averaged 5.5 points per game entering the national tournament. Fellow Bluejay Tena Loewen made 3-of-4 free throws in the closing seconds and Tabor ended the game on a 6-0 run to finally put the Eagles to rest.

Clutching a 35-31 halftime lead, Tabor seemingly exerted control with a lockdown third quarter that saw the Eagles shoot 3-for-14 from the field and total just 11 points. Senior guard Kylee Gorby tried to keep Asbury afloat. She canned a much-needed trey late in the third frame and finished with a game high 27 points.
It was a valiant effort by Gorby and company who rallied behind interim head coach Tim Brown, who was promoted in late January. Gorby led a group of four double-figure scorers for the Eagles. Brittany Warren added 14 points and four rebounds.

For the victors, Loewen contributed 18 points and seven rebounds while Taylor Hurd pitched in 12 points, three rebounds and two blocks. Their collective efforts helped Tabor weather what began to look like a fourth-quarter meltdown. Bonham simply didn't allow her team to fold.

Tabor now awaits the winner between top-seeded Southern Oregon (30-1) and No. 4 Briar Cliff (23-9) in a quarterfinal matchup set for 6 p.m. CT on Saturday.