FRANKILN – The Franklin women's basketball team resumed conference play on Saturday (Dec. 31) afternoon, hosting the Earlham Quakers on a New Year's Eve matinee inside the Spurlock Center.
 
Four Grizzlies (6-5, 3-1 HCAC) finished the afternoon in double figures and the home side rode a dominant third quarter to a 68-58 win over the Quakers (2-9, 1-3 HCAC), snapping a two-game skid.
 
How it Happened
With the score tied at nine early, Franklin put some distance between the two sides with a 9-4 run over the final 4:39 of the period to take an 18-13 lead into the second period. The Grizzlies' first field goal of the second quarter wouldn't come until the 5:14 mark, a jumper from Georgia Hanauer that starter a string of 10 straight points from the sophomore and paved the way for the Grizzlies to take a 31-26 lead into the break.
 
The Quakers opened the second half with back-to-back threes to take a 32-31 lead but it was all Grizzlies the rest of the period. Franklin out-scored Earlham 26-5 over the final eight minutes of the third quarter and took a comfortable 57-37 lead into the fourth. The Quakers would only be able to cut the deficit in half over the final period of play.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Franklin knocked down 43.4% (23-for-53) of their field goals while holding Earlham to 27.7% (18-for-56) from the floor.
-Taylor Cooney had a team-high 16 points, which included 12 points in the big third quarter run.
-Sophomore Maddie Barnes recorded the first double-double of her career with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Barnes also had a career-high seven assists in a team-high 37:37 of action.
-Hanauer narrowly missed out on a double-double of her own, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds.
-Jordan Coon chipped in with 10 points.
-Franklin dominated on the glass to the tune of a 48-37 rebounding advantage. CiCi Bailey led all players with 11 boards.
-Freshman Braylyn Clendenen had a season-high five points in a little over three minutes of action. 
-Franklin led for a total of 35:27 in the game.
 
Up Next
The Grizzlies are off until next Saturday (Jan. 7), when they ring in the new year in a matchup with the Anderson Ravens. Tip-off from the Spurlock Center is set for 1:00 p.m.