Box Score

ALLENTOWN, PA -

The Basics
• Score: Johns Hopkins 66, Muhlenberg 77
• Records: JHU (3-4, 2-2 CC), Muhlenberg (5-2, 3-1 CC)
• Location: Allentown, PA · Memorial Hall
• The Short Story: The Johns Hopkins women's basketball team fell 86-72 at Muhlenberg Saturday. Sophomores Madison McGrath and Lillian Scott each recorded 17 points in the loss.

How it Happened
• Hopkins played Muhlenberg close to begin the game before the Mules pulled away shortly after JHU tied the score 5-5 with 2:56 into the game. Muhlenberg outscored Johns Hopkins 23-5 in the final 6:46 of the first quarter, using three consecutive three-pointers and limiting the Blue Jays to just one made field goal in the remainder of the opening quarter. Lillian Scott led Hopkins in the opening quarter with four points, while Rory Cole scored a point and pulled down three rebounds in the first quarter.
• The Blue Jays challenged Muhlenberg to begin the second quarter, outscoring the Mules 14-6 in the first 5:20. Five different JHU players scored during the run, including Madison McGrath and Marissa Varnado, who each contributed a three-pointer. Muhlenberg's Brandi Vallely responded, with eight points in the final 4:06 of the first half, extending the Mules' lead to 45-31 before Kenz Wilkinson scored the final basket of the first half for the 45-33 mark at the break.
• At halftime, Scott led JHU with nine points and had grabbed three rebounds, while Cole had recorded five rebounds, and Lexie Scholtz had handed out three assists. Hopkins shot 10-of-29 from the field and 3-of-10 from behind the three-point arc in the first half, while Muhlenberg shot 18-of-35 from the field and 4-of-8 on three-point attempts to open the game. Each team also shot 1.00 from the free-throw line in one of the first two quarters, with the Mules shooting 2-of-2 in the first quarter and Johns Hopkins hitting all six free-throw attempts in the second quarter.
• The teams traded scores to begin the second half, with Hopkins cutting Muhlenberg's lead to 52-43 after three made free throws by McGrath. McGrath led the Blue Jays with nine points in the third quarter, scoring in threes: a three-pointer, three-free throws and a lay-up followed by a free throw.
• Hopkins outscored Muhlenberg 7-6 in the first 2:54 of the fourth quarter, in a run capped by Scott's second three-pointer of the night. The Mules pulled away to gain a 77-55 lead with 4:38 remaining in the game. JHU scored seven of the final 11 points, including five by Varnado, for the final score of 86-72.
• Scott and McGrath each finished the game with 17 points, while Varnado also reached double-digits with 11 in the game. McGrath recorded six rebounds, one shy of team leader Cole. Scholtz led the Blue Jays with five assists. Vallely led Muhlenberg with 23 points, including 10 in the second quarter.

Inside the Box Score
• The Blue Jays outscored the Mules in the second quarter 23-17. Madison McGrath and Lillian Scott each scored five points in the second quarter for Hopkins.
• McGrath topped her previous career high by a point with 17 points in the loss.
• Hopkins took advantage of its offensive rebounds in the third quarter, scoring six second-chance points in the final quarter.
• The JHU three-point shooters found success again with each Blue Jay who scored one three-pointer shooting at leadt one more in the game. Scott and Marissa Varnado each scored three treys against Muhlenberg.

What it Means
• With the loss, Muhlenberg inches closer to a .500 record against Hopkins all-time, with JHU holding a 25-24 lead over the Mules.
• Hopkins sits at 2-2 in the Centennial Conference. The Blue Jays are in a four-way tie for fourth in the standings.

Up Next
• The Blue Jays return home for their final two matches of December. Hopkins will host Franklin & Marshall at 6 p.m. December 7 before closing out 2016 with Dickinson December 10 at 1 p.m.

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