Potts provides second half fireworks in New Years Eve win for Pride
DUBUQUE, Iowa - Hosting one final game before ringing in the new year of 2026, the Clarke University women's basketball team earned a 91-77 come-from-behind victory against St. Ambrose University on Wednesday night in a non-conference matchup in the Kehl Center.
Trailing 46-36 at halftime, the Pride fell down even more early in the third quarter to SAU's largest lead of 13 points at 51-38 about three minutes into the third when as Josie Potts three pointer started a CU run that would eventually be 15-1 to take a 53-52 lead with 2:26 left in the third after a Camdyn Kay layup gave Clarke their first lead since they were up 23-22 with 9:38 left in the second quarter.
Potts lead an offensive surge for CU in the second half that saw the home team outscore the Fighting Bees 55-31 in the final 20 minutes as the Dubuque native produced 19 of her career-high 23 points, also a game-high, in a second half in which she never went to the bench and 13 of those 19, which also would have been her career-high, came in the third quarter.
St. Ambrose wouldn't just fold after giving up their lead, almost immediately hitting a three pointer to take the lead back before trading leads to end the period down 59-57 after yet another Potts three pointer as that's where the Pride would never look back to give up their lead.
Holding on to that was due in part to a 10-0 run to start the fourth quarter to grow their lead to double digits for the first time in the game at 69-57 after a Kay three pointer to finish the run with just over seven minutes left in the game.
The closest SAU would pull within would be just eight points at 78-70 with about three minutes remaining, but Clarke was able to make eight of their last 10 free throws to not allow a comeback to be made against them, finishing out the game to their sixth win of the season.
Along with the career-high score from Potts, on 8-for-14 (57.1%) from the field and 4-for-5 (80%) from deep, she would also produce a career-high seven assist and grab five rebounds in what is likely the best game of her collegiate career so far.
Three of the other four CU starters finished in double figures as Hailey Walters added 19 points with a strong 13-point first half that kept the Pride within striking distance in the opening 20 minutes, Zoe Kennedy had 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds, then Kay rounded out those double figure scorers with 14 points while leading the team with eight rebounds and adding seven assists of her own.
The other three members of the Pride lineup that produced points were an eight-point, seven-rebound night from Reese Ryan, then six points from Jessica Morgan and five points from Breckan Stewart off the bench as both Morgan and Stewart hit three pointers in the third quarter comeback.
Clarke women's basketball will get back to Heart of America Athletic Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 3 when they travel to Baldwin City, Kan. to take on Baker University for a 12:00 p.m. CT scheduled opening tip between the Pride and Wildcats.