Box Score CINCINNATI, OHIO – Strong starts to each half helped Manchester University pick up a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference road win Saturday, Jan. 3.
The Spartans, improving to 5-6 overall and 2-2 in league play, jumped out to a 22-8 lead less than eight minutes in on host Mt. St. Joseph University of Ohio (4-7 overall, 0-4 HCAC). After the Lions closed the gap to as little as three late in the frame, MU opened the final 20 minutes in similar fashion. A 15-3 roll turned a seven-point halftime edge (31-24) into a 19-point advantage (46-27), as the Black and Gold didn't look back on their way to a 62-45 victory.
Junior guard Katie Arterburn (Indianapolis, Ind.) concluded a strong week with a personal single-game career high 23 points that included seven three-pointers to lead Manchester University. Senior forward Abby Lang (Indianapolis, Ind.) added 14 points and six rebounds, while the senior guard combination of Alyssa Smith (Bluffton, Ind.) and Jocelyn Hamilton (Columbus, Ind.) got involved over the 40 minutes with efforts of eight rebounds, six assists, a blocked shot and three steals (Smith) and eight assists and six rebounds (Hamilton).
MU continues its current road stretch with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Franklin College.
NOTES: Arterburn averaged 15 points per game and canned 11 treys during the Spartans' three-game weekly slate. Her points-per-game mark helped move her into the top spot on the season points' chart (11 pg) due to a spike of better than two points a contest (8.8 – 11) … Arterburn's seven three-point buckets were the most in a game for the Spartans since Karlene Clapp hit 10 against Bluffton University of Ohio in February of 2005 … The win was MU's 10th straight and 17th of the last 18 in the series … Smith's six assists tied a personal single-game high.
