The Ursuline College basketball extended their winning streak to a season-long nine games with a 77-74 home win over Malone University on Saturday afternoon.  
 
The Arrows entered play with a one-game lead of the second place Pioneers in the final game of the first round of G-MAC games.
 
Ursuline got out to an early 5-0 lead after a pair of free throws from junior Camryn Hill and a three-pointer from senior Erica Huber. Malone tied the game at five before a jumper from sophomore Brigan Wymer and a three-pointer from redshirt junior Laney Lewis sparked a 5-0 run to build an early 10-5 lead.
 
The Arrows maintained the lead the remainder of the quarter and led 18-17 after one.
 
The two teams traded baskets throughout the second quarter after Malone took an early lead in the opening minutes. Ursuline and Malone traded the lead three different times and neither team led by more than four points in an even first half. The Arrows took a 35-32 lead into the locker room.
 
Malone opened the second half with a hot start from behind the three-point line when senior transfer Hannah McCue hit back-to-back threes and gave Malone a 41-40 lead early in the third. Trailing 44-40, sophomore Natalie Koenig buried a jumper to make it a two-point game and Wymer added a bucket to tie the game 44-44 with under 5:00 to play.
 
Ursuline closed the third quarter with a 58-54 advantage.
 
The Arrows held a 73-68 lead with 2:12 remaining before McCue finished a layup to make it one possession game. McCue scored again with under ninety seconds remaining to make it 73-72. Koenig hit a pair of clutch free throws with under ten seconds remaining to extend the lead to 75-72. Malone senior Rachel Goddard heaved a shot from half court that rattled in and out as time expired.
 
Ursuline shot 46 percent (26-for-57) from the field and went 5-for-20 from behind the three-point line while Malone shot 44 percent (29-for-66) and went 9-for-27 from three. The Arrows went a perfect 20-for-20 from free throw line. The Arrows won the rebounding battle 35-27 and forced 12 turnovers.
 
The Arrows were led by Koenig who finished with 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Lewis added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Wymer finished 14 points while Huber added 12 points while Hill finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
Ursuline will host Trevecca Nazarene on Thursday evening at 5:30pm to start the second round of conference play. The Arrows won the first meeting of the season 67-52 on January 14 in Nashville.