WESTERVILLE, Ohio - The Wilminton College women's basketball team fell to Otterbein University 80-71 in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action from the Rike Center on Wednesday evening.
Otterbein took a 16-9 lead on an Ali Cartnal three-pointer with 3:13 to play in the first quarter, but Wilmington answered with baskets from Mackenzie Campbell, Hannah Binkey and Faith Teaford to tie the game 16-16 after one quarter. Neither team would lead by more than four points in the second quarter as the visitors took a 34-32 lead into the break thanks to a Teaford triple with 30 seconds to play in the half.
The third quarter was played much like the second as the largest lead for either side was Otterbein by four. The Cardinals looked to take that edge into the final 10 minutes, but two Hannah Binkley free throws put Wilmington down 53-51 after three. Five points from Hannah Binkley along with baskets from Teaford and Kennedy Lewis to open the fourth quarter gave the Quakers a 60-53 edge and forced a timeout from Otterbein 90 seconds into the quarter.
The Cardinals answered, however, delivering a knockout run of 20-4 over the next seven minutes.
Both teams shot over 46 percent from the field as well as over 45 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Otterbein made one more field goal and three more triples along with holding a 12-8 edge in made free throws. Wilmington won the battle of the boards 29-25.
Lewis led all scorers with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting while Hannah Binkley scored a career-high 18 points off the bench. Sister McKayla Binkley also finished in double figures with 10 points.
Four Cardinals scored in double digits including Delaney Cutteridge's 20 points off the bench. Dani Kissel and Cartnal combined for 35 points for Otterbein.
Wilmington (10-10, 5-8 OAC) returns to Hermann Court for a home stand against Baldwin Wallace University on Saturday followed by Muskingum University next Wednesday.