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01.28.06
- The
Foresters traveled to Taylor University needing a big win on the
road to try to maintain a spot in the top half of the MCC
standings. Overcoming early foul trouble and 26 turnovers, the
Foresters found a way to get the 74-72 win in overtime.
The game was
close throughout the early stages of the first half and the Trojans
held a 21-19 lead with
8:26 left in the half. A few possessions later, HU's Kendra
Stahl picked up her second foul of the half and headed to the bench
to join fellow starters, Betsey Bean and Jessica Ramey, both of whom
had two fouls as well.
Taylor
took advantage of the less experienced lineup and built an 11-point
lead at 34-23 with two minutes to go in the half. Ramey, playing
with two fouls, then knocked down two treys in the final minute of
play to cut the Trojan lead to 36-31 at intermission.
In the second
half, HU picked up the defensive intensity and knotted the score at
46-46 on a deep three by Bean with 12 minutes to play. The
Foresters continued the momentum and pushed ahead by five at 53-48,
but Taylor responded with a 10-2 run to take a 58-55 lead with
6:55 on the clock. On HU's next possession, Ramey knocked down
her third three of the game to tie it, but Jen Ferguson answered
with one of her own at the
4:16 mark. The
Forester defense then went to work holding the Trojans to just one
free throw over the final four minutes of regulation. Two charity
tosses from Amy Berry pulled HU within one at 61-60 with 3:55 to
go. Katie Madden made it 62-60 when she hit one of two free throws
a minute later. After three alternating turnovers, the Foresters
had the ball knocked out of bounds with 23 seconds left. HU got the
ball into Ramey, who drove the lane and scored on a pull-up jumper
to tie it at 62-62 with 20 seconds left. Again HU's defense held
and an Amber Bond shot hit off the glass and the buzzer sounded
before either team could track down the rebound.
In the overtime
period, HU's Stahl knocked down a three to open the scoring and
Berry connected on two free throws to give the Foresters a 67-62
lead. Madden cut it to three with two charity tosses, but a basket
by Bean and a conventional 3-point play by Ramey gave HU a
commanding eight-point advantage with 1:37 to play. A three by
Ferguson and Allison Easterhaus kept Taylor in the hunt. With 19
seconds left, Ramey hit one of two free throws to put HU up 74-70,
but the Foresters fouled Stacie Myers on the drive with 14 seconds
to go. She hit both shots at the line allowing the Trojans to set
their press. The Foresters inbounded the ball, but then proceeded
to turn it over. Ferguson got the steal and took a long 3-point
attempt that airballed and Ramey grabbed the rebound as time
expired.
The Foresters
were paced by Ramey's 19 points and six assists. Bean finished with
17, Berry had 15 and Stahl added 13. Ferguson took game-high honors
with 22 and Madden added 17. The win moves the Foresters to 12-10
on the season and a share of third place in the conference standings
with their 7-4 MCC record.
Box Score |
