FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. - On Sunday afternoon, the No. 24 Messiah women's basketball team earned a 63-49 victory over the Westminster Titans in their second game of the Cruzin' Classic. The Falcons used a balanced and consistent effort to down the Titans in their second of two games in Florida over the Winter Break. Led by Reese Harden's 12, five different Falcons scored at least nine points in the victory.
 
After scoring 15 points in the first quarter and trailing 18-15 after 10 minutes of play, Messiah scored exactly 16 points in each of the next three quarters. The Falcons defense held the Titans to seven points in the second quarter and eight in the fourth to create their eventual 14-point margin of victory. The win moves Messiah to 9-2 on the season and hands the Titans just their third loss of the season, as they fall to 7-3.
 
Messiah will be back in action on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 when they host Penn State Harrisburg on Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena in the first game of the new year. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
 
How It Happened
Like their game on Saturday, Messiah fell into an early hole as the Titans opened up an eight-point lead just 3:32 into the contest at 10-2. Messiah quickly trimmed that lead to 12-9 after a pair of jumpers from Chloe Milanesi and Fath Grula as well as a three from Amber High.
 
The Falcons got the lead down to one point with a jumper from Megan Zimmerman with 1:29 left in the quarter, but the Titans scored in the final seconds of the period and took an 18-15 lead after 10 minutes of play.
 
Messiah took the lead just over a minute into the second quarter with a layup from Zimmerman and a jumper from Chloe Milanesi. Those two buckets made it a 19-18 game and that's where things stood for over five minutes and neither team found to bottom of the cup.
 
A pair of Faith Grula free throws with under four minutes remaining in the half stopped the scoreless stretch and put Messiah up 21-18. In the final four minutes of the half, Messiah and Westminster combined for 19 points with the Falcons building a 31-25 advantage at the break.
 
The Falcons used an 8-0 run in the middle of the third quarter to build their lead to double-digits at 43-31. Reese Harden led the burst with four points while Chloe Milanesi netted three. The Titans responded with a 10-2 run to cut Messiah's lead down to four at 45-41 with Natalie Murrio shouldering the offensive load on the run, scoring eight points. Amber High scored the final bucket of the period and Messiah held a 47-41 lead heading to the fourth.
 
After the Titans scored the first two buckets of the fourth to make it a one-point game at 47-46, Messiah took control of the game. The Falcons ended the game on a 17-2 run, forcing five turnovers down the stretch and allowing the Titans to shoot just 1-9 from the field in the final nine minutes. The result was a 14-point, 63-49 victory for the Falcons their ninth of the season.
 
As mentioned, Resse Harden led the Falcons with 12 points while Morgan Adams, Chloe Milanesi, and Megan Zimmerman all scored 11. That trio of Adams, Milanesi, and Zimmerman all grabbed at least eight rebounds with Zimmerman leading the way with nine boards.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons return home and, after the New Year, will host Penn State Harrisburg on Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena on Jan. 2, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.