(WESTERVILLE, Ohio) – The Wilmington College women's basketball team traveled to Otterbein University for their second matchup against the Cardinals this season and lost the game 81-66. For the fifth time this season, Quakers guard Cassidy Lovett bested the 20-point mark in a game, scoring 23 points to tie for the game-high. A pair of other Quakers in Keetyn Hupp (12 points) and ZahKyria Walker (10 points) also scored in double-digits for Wilmington. The Quakers are now 5-14 overall this season and 3-10 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).
Wilmington pushed out to a quick 5-0 lead after a Keetyn Hupp three-pointer and ZahKyria Walker jumper got the Quakers off to a hot start. However, the Cardinals would settle into the game and eventually use a 12-5 run to hold a 12-10 lead after the first quarter.
Otterbein continued to roll, beginning the second quarter with a 14-5 rally to give them a 26-15 advantage with 6:34 to play in the half. The Quakers responded with a 7-2 flurry to cut the lead down to six points. Cassidy Lovett led the run with four points. The Cardinals kept the pressure on the Quakers throughout the remainder of the half, retaking a 12-point lead at 36-24. The Quakers used a late 5-0 run to take it to the half with the score at 36-29.
Wilmington began the second half on a 6-2 burst to make it a three-point game at 38-35. The Quakers were unable to get over the hump to tie or take the lead however, and Otterbein extended their lead back to 10 at 48-38 with 4:10 remaining in the third period. Wilmington refused to go down without a fight and ended the quarter on a 10-6 run to push it to 54-48 heading into the fourth. Natalie Rupp and Lovett both knocked down three pointers to fuel the surge.
The Cardinals shut the door on any hopes of a Quakers comeback early in the final period with a 9-0 run over the first 3:08 to make it a 63-48 game. Otterbein held a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game in their triumph.
Notables
- Cassidy Lovett scored 23 points for Wilmington, and she now has 12 games this season where she scored in double-digits. This was her fifth game in a row scoring 16 or more points.
- Keetyn Hupp scored 12, giving her eight games this season in double-digits.
- ZahKyria Walker added 10 points for Wilmington, which is her 12th game this season scoring double-digit points.
- Stephanie Altstaetter, Hupp, and Lovett all tied for the team-lead with six rebounds.
- Lovett and Walker tied for the team-lead with two assists.
- Lovett led the team with two steals.
- Altstaetter was the lone Quaker with a block in the game, recording one.
What's Up Next
The Quakers play at John Carroll University Saturday afternoon at 2:00 P.M. In the team's first matchup this season on December 16th, the Blue Streaks snuck away with a 60-59 win after a last second jumper didn't fall for Wilmington.
