ADRIAN, Mich.--Visiting Alma outscored Adrian 31-25 in the second half to take a 54-49 win in the Bulldogs' Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association women's basketball home opener on Wednesday.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Alma College 54, Adrian College 49 

Location: Merillat Sport & Fitness Center; Adrian, Mich.

Records: Alma Scots 6-3 overall, 1-1 MIAA; Adrian Bulldogs 4-4 overall, 0-2 MIAA 

TOP 'DAWGS
= Junior Emily Somerville led Adrian with 15 points and senior Ashley Morris had 12.

= Sophomore Sha'Trice Graves contributed four blocked shots and pulled down a game-best 11 rebounds.

= Classmate Rachel Bucher registered a career-high six steals to lead all student-athletes. She added eight rebounds and a team-best four assists.

THE OPPOSITION
= Jeny Brandt posted a double-double for Alma coming off the bench, recording game highs of 16 points and 11 rebounds.

= Madeline Barnauskas connected for 12 points on 5-for-9 field goal shooting, including 2-for-3 on three-pointers.

= Madison Hill led a good passing offense with a game-high six assists, followed by Oretha Humphries with five and Hannah Syme, four.

= Charley Hengesbach chipped in six points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

HOW IT HAPPENED
= Alma outshot Adrian 43.4 percent (23-53) to 27.9 (19-68) from the field and had a 47-34 edge on rebounds.

= The Scots used their size to outscore the Bulldogs in the paint, 30-16.

= Brandt hit a pair of free throws with 4 minutes and 17 seconds remaining in the third quarter to put the Scots in the lead for good, 32-31.

= Emily Eldridge scored six of her eight points in the game as Alma ended the frame on a 10-5 scoring run to take a 42-36 lead after 30 minutes. 

= The Scots started the fourth with a 46-36 lead--the largest of the night for either side--before Adrian was able to cut it to 46-43 after a Somerville trey with 3:58 left. 

= But that was the closest the hosts would get as the Scots made three of their next five field goal attempts to keep Adrian at bay. 

= The Scots' depth showed in bench points, 30-5.

= Adrian built an eight-point lead in the second quarter, 17-9, after a Somerville jumper at the 8:49 mark. The Bulldogs led 24-23 at the intermission.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
= Tonight marked the 100th meeting between the programs with Alma holding a 54-46 advantage, including 26-24 in Adrian. The Scots have won two straight meetings after the Bulldogs won 10 in a row.

= Bucher's six steals are tied for 10th place on the school's all-time single-game list and the most since Starnisha Harris had seven against Olivet on Dec. 10, 2016. 

= Graves came into the contest leading NCAA Division III in blocked shots; she now has 29 on the season. 

UP NEXT
= Adrian will be in Notre Dame, Ind., on Saturday when the Bulldogs visit MIAA foe Saint Mary's College for a 3 p.m. opening tip.

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