TENNERTON – With the new calendar year upon them, the Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Bucs were hoping for a change of fortunes in 2024 after a rough start to the season in 2023 when they squared off against the North Marion Huskies Thursday night in a Big 10 Conference battle.
But the same issues that plagued the Lady Bucs last month reared their ugly ahead again in a 67-47 setback.
The Lady Bucs again continued to turn the ball over with 31 turnovers and struggled shooting the ball making just 31 percent of their shots (19-for-61).
B-U was without their head coach Rob Kittle as well for the game as he was out with an illness.
The loss was the fifth in a row for the Lady Bucs as their record fell to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Big 10 Conference.
The Lady Bucs started the game out well enough a with a quick 4-0 lead behind baskets from Kyndal Davis and Casadie Lahman. It was the only lead for B-U the rest of the night as North Marion countered with a 9-2 run over the next three minutes for a 9-6 lead.
A baseline jumper by Harley Dean made it a 9-8 game with four minutes remaining in the first quarter, but North Marion extended their lead to 16-12 at the end of the first quarter.
B-U managed just one field goal in the second quarter, a putback by Brooklyn Smith, and four free throws as they trailed by a 29-18 margin at the break.
An old-fashioned three-point play from Dean brought the Lady Bucs to within 10, at 33-23, with 5:24 showing in the third quarter, but B-U went down by 15, at 42-27, before Lahman drilled a trey and Alyssa Abel put in a free throw to bring the Lady Bucs to within 11, at 42-31, going into the final eight minutes.
A putback by Abel kept B-U down 11, at 46-35, but North Marion went on an 11-0 run over the next two minutes to put the game away with a 57-35 advantage with 4:20 remaining.
B-U was never able to get closer than 19 points the rest of the way.
Lahman recorded a double-double for B-U with 10 points and 10 rebounds
Dean and Abel just missed out on double-doubles for the Lady Bucs as Dean had 12 points and nine rebounds while Abel contributed nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
The Lady Bucs held a 51-35 rebounding margin in the contest.
North Marion improved to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big 10 Conference.
They were led by Meya Kotsko who scored 17 points and Emma Freels who tallied 15.
The Lady Bucs will be back in action Tuesday when they visit Grafton for a 7:30 p.m. conference outing.
The boxscore:
North Marion 16 13 13 25 – 67
Buckhannon-Upshur 12 6 13 16 – 47
North Marion 67
Meya Kotsko 6-19 1-2 17; Emma Freels 5-10 2-4 15; Brooklyn Jackson 5-12 1-1 12; Savannah Walls 5-10 0-0 10; Aubrey Hamilton 2-5 0-0 4; KierraBelle Harbert 2-3 0-0 4; Kinsey White 1-1 0-0 3; Kathyrn Carson 1-2 0-0 2; Kya Huggins 0-3 0-0 0; Ciera Parker 0-1 0-0 0; Audrey Hamilton 0-0 0-0 0; Haley Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-66 4-7 67.
Buckhannon-Upshur 47
Harley Dean 4-9 4-5 12; Casadie Lahman 4-12 0-0 10; Gabby Parke 4-12 1-2 10; Alyssa Abel 4-12 1-2 9; Kyndal Davis 2-7 0-0 4; Brooklyn Smith 1-2 0-0 2; Hodge’Nay Henderson 0-6 0-0 0; Roise Shackleford 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-61 6-9 47.
Three-point field goals – North Marion: Kotsko 4-13; Freels 3-7; Jackson 1-5; White 1-1; Huggins 0-1 Totals 9-27; Buckhannon-Upshur: Lahman 2-7; Parke 1-4; Henderson 0-3; Smith 0-1. Totals 3-15.
Rebounds – North Marion: team 6; Aub. Hamilton 5; Kotsko 5; Walls 4; Carson 3; Harbert 3; Freels 2; Jackson 2; deadball 2; Aud. Hamilton 1; White 1; Smith 1. Totals 36; Buckhannon-Upshur: Abel 10; Lahman 10; Dean 9; team 5; Henderson 5; Smith 4; Davis 3; Parke 3; deadball 2. Totals 51.
Assists – North Marion: Jackson 4; Freels 3; Aub. Hamilton 3; Kotsko 3; Harbert 2; Aud. Hamilton 2; Carson 1. Totals 18; Buckhannon-Upshur: Lahman 8; Henderson 2; Smith 2; Parke 1. Totals 13.
Steals – North Marion: Kotsko 4; Jackson 4; Freels 2; Aub. Hamilton 1; Aud. Hamilton 1; Huggins 1; Walls 1. Totals 14; Buckhannon-Upshur: Lahman 4; Davis 2; Henderson 2; Parke 1; Abel 1; Dean 1. Totals 11.
Blocked shots – North Marion: Harbert 2; Aub. Hamilton 1; Kotsko 1; Walls 1. Totals 5; Buckhannon-Upshur: Dean 2; Davis 1. Totals 3.
Turnovers – North Marion: 18; Buckhannon-Upshur: 31.
Fouls – North Marion: 17; Buckhannon-Upshur 10.
