UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – The Wilmington College women's basketball team missed seven of their last eight free throws, and missed a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer, and fell to John Carroll, 74-71, Saturday at the DeCarlo Center.
"A lot of players played well, we just missed a really good look at the end to tie," said Wilmington head coach Jerry Scheve. "Our point guard, Ashley Andracki, played four minutes today in foul trouble and I didn't think we had played enough to put her in down the stretch. We really missed her today."
Leading by nine with six minutes remaining, Wilmington went cold as the Blue Streaks scored 12 straight to claim the lead.
Back-to-back baskets by sophomore Mackenzie Campbell (Cincinnati, OH/Turpin) allowed WC to regain its advantage. Wilmington looked to add to its advantage with a little more than a minute remaining as senior Mary Moyer (Martinsville, OH/Clinton Massie) secured the rebound off a three-point miss. However, she was called for a foul – on the rebound – four seconds later.
John Carroll took advantage by taking the lead, and then added to its lead on a 30-foot three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining.
Campbell halved the WC deficit, and after JCU split a pair of free throws, Wilmington had life. But its look didn't fall.
Wilmington scored the first 11 points of the game, and was living comfortably until JCU started to chip away in the second quarter. A three-pointer by junior Savannah Hooper (Leesburg, OH/Wilmington) at the halftime buzzer gave the Fightin' Quakers a five-point lead.
It was a lead that ballooned to 10 with one-minute remaining in the third quarter. However, WC missed four straight free throws in the quarter that would have enabled them to extend the lead.
Campbell led the way with 21 points and six rebounds, while junior Emily Harman (Versailles, OH/Versailles) added 12 points and three rebounds. Hooper tabulated 11 points and five rebounds to round out Wilmington's double-figure scorers.
Wilmington (14-7 overall, 10-4 OAC) falls back into a second-place tie with Baldwin Wallace.
"This game does not change anything," said Scheve. "We still are in a battle for second place, and we still have the ability to win it outright if we take care of business."
The Fightin' Quakers return home 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to host Otterbein in a critical OAC meeting. Wilmington claimed the earlier meeting in Westerville, 62-51.
