McPHERSON – Kelcey Hinz (SR/Whitewater, Kan.) and Amanda Hill (SR/Rossville, Kan.) have been the Dynamic Duo for the Kansas Wesleyan women's basketball team the past two-plus seasons. A list of their career accomplishments would be as long as it is impressive.
As good as they have been, though, their efforts during KWU's wild 95-84 double overtime Kansas Conference victory over McPherson Saturday night in the Sport Center would have to rank among the best.
Hinz had 22 points – 11 in the two overtime periods – 16 rebounds and six blocked shots while Hill finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Hinz was 8 of 12 from the field and 6 of 8 at the line and Hill 6 of 16 and 7 of 8.
The six blocks give Hinz 86 this year and break the single season school record she set last year. She became school's career rebounding leader Thursday during the Coyotes' victory over York.
"Kelcey Hinz and Amanda Hill were about as good of a duo offensively as I've seen in a really, really long time," Wesleyan coach Ryan Showman said on his postgame radio show. "They absolutely made big shots after big shots and then everybody else kind of played their role and did what they had to do for us to find a way to win. Those two ladies filled it up and we needed every single stat tonight."
It almost wasn't enough, though.
The Coyotes, who improved to 13-6 overall and 9-5 in the KCAC, had a 57-46 lead early in the fourth quarter but McPherson battled back with a 23-12 surge. Madelyn Hankins' basket with 1:14 left the Bulldogs the lead, 69-67, but two Hinz free throws with 23 seconds left tied it at 69 and led to the first overtime.
McPherson (10-10, 7-7 KCAC) crafted a 79-72 lead with 1:50 left but KWU stormed back behind Hinz and LaMyah Ricks (SO/Shawnee Mission, Kan.), who scored four points each. Two Hinz free throws with 4.8 seconds tied it again at 80-80 and forced the second extra period.
The Coyotes immediately took control from there, scoring the first 10 for a 90-80 lead with 2:20 left and coasted home with their second victory over McPherson this season.
Catherine Bowman (FR/Bucklin, Kan.) added 12 points and Ricks 11 as KWU shot 43.4 percent (33 of 76), made 25 of 35 free throw attempts and easily won the rebounding battle 59-46.
"I said in the locker room 'if there's any doubt what kind of team we can be this right here should put it to rest,'" Showman said. "We've got big goals still and we've big things in front of us and to come here and get a win like this and play the way we did I think shows that we're still in this thing.
"It's going to be a crazy finish to January, it's going to be a crazy February. All we can control is what we do on game night and we absolutely took care of our business tonight."
Brittany Roberts had 21 points and 16 rebounds for McPherson, which shot 38.3 percent (31 of 81) and was 14 of 26 at the foul line.
The Coyotes play Oklahoma Wesleyan at 6 p.m. Wednesday inside Mabee Arena in their next game. OKWU (10-10, 8-6) was idle Saturday but picked up a victory over Saint Mary, which had to forfeit the game because of COVID-19 issues.
The Eagles defeated KWU 69-60 November 23 in Bartlesville, Okla., in the season's first meeting.