WESTMINSTER, Md. – Alexis Bates tallied
seven of her 16 points in overtime, including hitting a pair of
free throws with 1.8 seconds to play, sending Muhlenberg to a 77-76
victory over McDaniel in Centennial Conference (CC) women's
basketball action on Wednesday.
Alexandra Chili finished with a game-high 22
points for the Mules (8-2, 5-0 CC), who had its seven-point
overtime advantage erased when Sally Grace (Catonsville,
Md./Mount de Sales Academy) drained a 3-pointer from the
top of the key with fewer than 10 seconds remaining in overtime to
give the Green Terror (4-5, 2-2 CC) a 76-75 advantage.
With her team trailing 64-63, Ali Moreland (Davidsonville,
Md./South River) hit a pair of free throws with 29.9
seconds remaining in regulation for two of her team-high 18 point,
giving McDaniel a one-point advantage.
After a foul at the other end, Kelly McKeon hit
the first of her two free throw attempts with 13.4 seconds to play,
knotting the game at 65.
With 5.4 seconds on the clock, Muhlenberg was whistled for a foul
but the Green Terror missed both free throws to send the game to
overtime.
Back-to-back baskets from McKeon coupled with a Bates 3-pointer
allowed the Mules to race out to a 7-265 advantage just 1:12 into
the extra session.
Three Grace free throws and a Moreland jumper trimmed the deficit
to two with 2:19 to play.
Two Bates free throws stretched the lead back to four but
Kim Staub (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) capped
her 10-point night, converting two charity tosses with 1:14 on the
clock.
After a pair of Muhlenberg missed free throws, Moreland hit the
back end of two tosses to trim the deficit to 74-73 with 33.3
seconds showing.
McKeon stretched the lead back to two before Grace nailed her
second triple of the night to give McDaniel the lead.
After a McDaniel timeout with 9.8 seconds showing, McKeon brought
the ball up the floor, finding Bates in the lane. Bates went the
rim but was fouled with 1.7 seconds on the clock, sinking both
attempts to give her team the victory after the Green
Terror's desperation half-court heave sailed over the
backboard.
Trailing 11-10, Bates hit a jumper with 15:36 to play in the first
half, sparking an 11-0 run over the next 3 minutes, 22
seconds.
Staub halted McDaniel's 0-for-6 cold spell with a jumper to
pull the hosts within 21-13.
Trailing 38-30 on a Chili basket with 3:25 to play, Moreland and
Staub both converted baskets on the break to trim the deficit to
four en route to a 42-38 halftime lead for Muhlenberg.
Lauren Boyle, who was one of nine players for both
teams to finish in double figures with 14 points, immediately
stretched the lead to six in the second half.
A Grace pull-up 3-pointer on the break and Ashley Lyles
(Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) layup pulled McDaniel
within 44-43 with 17:28 to play in regulation.
The Mule lead teetered between one and five points over the next
eight minutes before Catherine Mills (Ijamsville,
Md./Urbana) and Whitney Snoops (Millersville,
Md./Archbishop Spalding) hit jumpers 39 seconds apart to
knot the game at 53.
A Moreland putback gave the Green Terror its first lead since
11-10.
The Green Terror returns to action at Ursinus on Saturday. Game
time is 1 p.m.
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