DES MOINES – Thursday night's road game for the (RV) Raven Women's Basketball team came down to the wire against Grand View University. Trailing by one, the Ravens got the ball back for the final possession of the game but the last-second shot from LaRanda Thomas didn't fall and allowed the Vikings to escape with a 64-63 win.
Benedictine (8-2, 3-2 Heart) trailed by six points with 1:20 left in the game. Skylar Washington drew a foul on a 3-point shot and converted all three free throws with 56 seconds remaining to pull the Ravens within three points. Kynli Nelson added a basket in the paint with 17 seconds remaining to pull Benedictine within one before Grace Brzozowski pulled in a rebound on the ensuing Grand View possession that gave the Ravens the opportunity to set up a potential game-winning shot.
The game was close throughout, playing through three ties and five lead changes. Benedictine led by as much as eight points during the second quarter while Grand View's largest lead was six. The Ravens lead of eight happened twice in the second quarter as Kayla Staley scored four of her team-high 16 points to push the Ravens lead to eight for the second time with 6:08 left in the first half.
Benedictine led by five points at the halftime break and maintained that lead until the midway point of the third quarter when Grand View's Brook Trautsch hit a 3-pointer to push the Vikings ahead 39-38. The Vikings never gave the lead back despite the Ravens continuing to match them on the offensive end.
Staley recorded her second double-double of the season as she also pulled in a team-high 11 rebounds to go along with her 16 points. Washington finished with 13 points off the bench as she finished the game hitting 5 of 5 at the free-throw line. Benedictine finished with a 32-20 advantage in scoring off the bench, the outscored the Vikings 19-7 on second-chance points and scored 15 points off 19 Viking turnovers.
The Ravens return home on Saturday at Noon as they host Culver-Stockton College inside the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium. Admission is free for the donation of an unopened toy at the ticket table. All toys will be donated to the Atchison Salvation Army to help families in the Atchison community in need this holiday season.
