Unbeatens Shepherd, Indiana in early headliner

Clayton
SHEPHERDSTOWN — Shepherd has used its three-pronged scoring offense consisting of Abby Beeman, Marley McLaughlin and Sydney Clayton to sprint out to an 8-0 record in the early season going.
Indiana has used its quality depth to subdue all its opponents in achieving the same unblemished 8-0 record in the West Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
And now the two teams meet tomorrow in Indiana to see which one will probably continue on undefeated until the new year.
One of the more important aspects of the game will be the play of Shepherd’s Cara Minor, who could augment the Rams’ scoring after moving into the starting lineup two games ago.
Can the Rams tame the Crimson Hawks on their own floor with just three scorers? It’s not likely because Indiana has too many contributors to be beaten at home by just a three-person scoring effort from Shepherd.
The Crimson Hawks, a team that has been in the national spotlight for some time, spread their scoring and minutes played over a useful variety of players. The team-best scoring averages of Justina Mascaro and Courtney Alexander are about 13 points per game.
Will this be a likely duel between the quality depth of Indiana and the leadership of Beeman, McLaughlin and Clayton?
In Shepherd’s most recent win, a close verdict (76-69) over Virginia State in Petersburg, Va., Beeman had 29 points, McLaughlin scored 22 points, Minor had an active 12 points and Clayton was next with eight points.
Beeman, Shepherd’s guiding force at point guard, usually finds enough shots to score well. Her rebounding has become necessary (6.3 boards a game) and the same goes for the steals she makes (24 on the season). She has made 25-of-28 free throws and 50 percent of her field goal attempts while averaging 19.8 points a game.
McLaughlin is Shepherd’s major outside shooting threat, attempting more three-point field goal shots than anybody else. Her scoring average is 18.9 points a game and she is making 50.5 percent of her shot attempts. McLaughlin gets 4.5 rebounds a game.
Clayton usually doesn’t get as many shots as either Beeman or McLaughlin, but has made 52.6 percent of her tries. That statistic is abetted by her 24-of-25 seasonal showing from the free throw line. She is averaging a team leading 7.1 rebounds per outing.
Despite just two starts, Minor has converted 50 percent of her field goal tries, has made all six of her free throws and is averaging 5.6 points a game.
Freshman Meghan Shipley has been Shepherd’s fifth starter. She played 26 minutes in the seven-point win at Virginia State but did not score.
One of the 2019 season’s starters, Jordan Smith, has assumed the role as the first player off coach Jenna Eckleberry’s bench. Smith does not score much or shoot very often. McKenzie Freeze and Madi White have become Eckleberry’s other most-used reserves.
Indiana is the nation’s eighth-ranked team, so well-known has it become with its journeys deep into the national playoffs and its PSAC championships.
Crimson Hawk rebounders have been winning games for the highly regarded team. Indiana has outrebounded its eight vanquished opponents, 337-232.
In the last six full seasons, the Crimson Hawks have shown glossy records of 28-3, 30-4, 30-4, 24-7, 21-9 and 25-4.
Shepherd wants to get to the foul line where it makes 84 percent of its free throws. The Crimson Hawks make only 65 percent of their foul shots.
The Rams can’t have just three (or even fewer) scoring contributors because Indiana will have five (or even more).