GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No. 13 Messiah women's basketball team topped Stevenson University for the second time this season, earning a 74-46 home decision on Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena on Wednesday evening. Megan Zimmerman had a strong night, scoring a team-high 16 points as Morgan Adams (13), Reese Harden (12), and Eleana Eckley (10) all recorded double-digit scoring figures.
 
The victory is Messiah's 12th-consecutive win, improving its 2021-22 overall record to 18-2 (12-1 MAC Commonwealth)
 
The two sides met back on Wednesday, Jan. 12, when the Falcons bested the Mustangs on the road, 68-57.
 
The Mustangs got off to a quick start, winning the opening tip-off and promptly draining a three-pointer for an early 3-0 lead. The Stevenson lead peaked at 7-0 before the Falcons got on the board at the 7:27 mark, breaking a full-court press to find Megan Zimmerman wide open for an easy left-handed layup. Zimmerman followed with an identical basket on the following possession to cut Messiah's deficit to three points (7-4).
 
With just over five minutes remaining in the opening quarter (5:04), Madison Eich got herself on the scoresheet with a jumper from the elbow. Springer scored on the following possession to trim Stevenson's lead to just one point, 11-10. Eich gave the Falcons their first advantage of the game, draining a triple in the corner to put Messiah ahead 13-11 with 4:05 left in the quarter.
 
After trailing the Mustangs, 11-4 with just under six minutes left in the period, Messiah used a commanding 14-0 run to take an 18-12 lead with under a minute left in the quarter. Eleana Eckley and Eich each contributed five points during the scoring spurt as the Falcons led at the end of the quarter, 18-14.
 
Stevenson, in similar fashion to the opening quarter, opened the second quarter with a quick three-pointer, cutting its deficit to 18-17. Eckley notched her second field goal of the contest to get the second quarter scoring going for Messiah, connecting on a pull-up jumper at the 9:01 mark.
 
Messiah held a slim 22-19 lead as both defenses were playing in a strong fashion. The contest saw back-to-back shot clock violations as both sides went scoreless for nearly three minutes. Stevenson's Laci Johnson connected on a jumper to pull the Mustangs within one point (22-21) before Morgan Adams contributed her first points of the game, hitting a jumper at the 5:12 mark to increase the Falcons lead to 24-21. On the following possession, Adams drained another jumper, a straight-away look from just beyond the free throw line.
 
Messiah remained in control for the remainder of the half, ending the quarter on a 6-0 scoring run, highlighted by a three-pointer from Haley Wagman at the 1:52 mark. The Falcons led Stevenson at the break, 32-21, behind a 50.0% (12-24) shooting performance from the floor. Zimmerman led the Falcons in scoring with eight points while Eckley contributed seven points. In addition to her seven points, Eckley dished out a game-leading five assists in the first half.
 
Zimmerman picked up right where she left off in the beginning of the third quarter, scoring the Falcons' first basket of the third quarter just 40 seconds into the period. Eich cashed her third field goal of the game at the 8:47 mark, an elbow jumper to increase Messiah's lead to 36-25.
 
Messiah had a phenomenal offensive third quarter, connecting on 10 of 13 attempts (76.9%) from the floor. Reese Harden had a productive quarter, tallying six points as the Falcons outscored the Mustangs in the quarter, 25-18, to bolster a 16-point lead (57-39) entering the final quarter of play.
 
Morgan Adams connected on a shot from beyond the arc with 7:46 remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, the sophomore forward's 11th point of the game, increasing the Falcons' lead to 62-41.  Adams had five points in the fourth quarter as Zimmerman tallied six points, leading the Falcons to a dominant 74-46 victory over the Mustangs.
 
Adams' converted 6-of-8 attempts from the floor as Eckley dished out a game-high six assists.
 
What's Next
Messiah goes on the road this Saturday, Feb. 12, taking on Alvernia Unviversity at 1:00 p.m.