The Sweet 16 girls basketball state tournament game between Cooper and Mercy was a nail-biting affair, with Mercy coming out on top by a score of 70-64.
The game was closely contested throughout, with neither team able to pull away until the final minutes. Cooper had the lead for much of the first half, thanks in large part to the scoring of Whitney Lind and Kay Freihofer. However, Mercy was able to stay within striking distance, thanks to the scoring of Leah Macy and the steady play of Addyson Becker.
In the third quarter, Mercy was able to seize the lead, thanks to a flurry of scoring by Macy. She scored 15 points in the quarter, including 11 free throws, as Mercy outscored Cooper 23-12 in the period.
Cooper did not go down without a fight, however. They rallied in the fourth quarter, led by Liz Freihofer, who scored 11 points in the period. They were able to tie the game at 64-64 with less than a minute to play, but Mercy was able to score the final six points of the game to secure the victory.
Overall, the game was characterized by strong performances from both teams. Macy was the standout player, scoring 37 points and grabbing 21 rebounds for Mercy. Lind and Liz Freihofer were the top performers for Cooper, scoring 16 and 15 points, respectively.
The game was also marked by a high number of turnovers, with Mercy committing 18 and Cooper committing seven. However, Cooper was able to convert their turnovers into points, scoring 17 points off of Mercy’s turnovers.
In the end, it was Mercy’s ability to hit their free throws that made the difference. They made 26 of their 36 attempts from the line, while Cooper made 23 of 26. The win was a hard-fought one for Mercy, who will advance to the Elite Eight of the state tournament.
Overall, the game was a thrilling display of high school girls basketball, with both teams leaving it all on the court. Mercy will face the winner of Simon Kenton vs Henderson County tomorrow night at 8
