PARKERSBURG - Limiting an opponent to 10 made field goals doesn't guarantee victory as the Parkersburg South girls found out in Tuesday's 49-44 loss to University.
Inside the Rod Oldham Athletic Center, University (2-0) shot just 20.4 percent (10-of-49) from the floor but scored a bulk of its points from the free-throw line where it converted 25-of-32.
"You would think we would win a game where we hold them to 10 field goals, but we are a bunch of hacks evidently," Parkersburg South coach Scott Stephens said after his club slipped to 0-3. "We put them at the foul line too much. We have to learn to play defense without fouling quite so much."
Article Photos
Taryn McCutcheon, left, attempts to steal the ball from University's Mariah Callen Tuesday during their game at the Rod Oldham Athletic Center. University scored a 49-44 win over South. (Photo by Jeff Baughan)
Despite trailing by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter, South had its opportunities. Consecutive putbacks from Patriot freshman Carlie Wilson capped a 9-2 run which cut the deficit to 41-37 with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The difference became just two at 46-44 on Keya Bartlett's 3-pointer with 27 seconds showing.
Following a South timeout, University second-team all-stater Mariah Callen was immediately fouled with no time ticking off the clock. The junior point guard made the front-end of the two-shot foul, and after South rebounded the miss on her second attempt Callen intercepted a pass and was sent to the charity stripe once again.
This time, Callen converted both free throws to complete the scoring at 23.7 seconds.
"We got back, we were in the game," Stephens said. "The kids fought back. We had some looks, but the ball just wouldn't fall."
Following her 37-point effort in University's season-opening win against Hedgesville, Callen was held to four points in the first half before finishing with a game-high 19 points to go with six rebounds, six steals and three assists.
"Mariah is not about herself - she is about the team," University coach Kamela Meikle said. "What she did in the second half was huge for us. That shows me she is growing up.
"As a freshman and a sophomore, that kind of stuff would have bothered her. She is maturing and doing what she has to do to get this team on her back and go."
Three South players - Taryn McCutcheon, Keya Bartlett and Anna Hayton - paced the team's scoring efforts with 11 points apiece. McCutcheon accounted for nine of the Patriots' 12 points in the second quarter as University established a 28-21 halftime lead. Bartlett knocked down both of her 3-pointers in the second half but experienced her share of frustrations after hitting just 2-of-15 from beyond the arc.
Wilson pulled a team-high 12 rebounds, while Kayleigh Rexroad had 11 boards before fouling out with 34 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
South will take a week off before returning to the ROAC to play host to crosstown rival Parkersburg High next Tuesday.
"We turned the ball too much and we fouled too much, and that was the story of the ballgame," Stephens said.
