West Chester Edges Marauders in Double Overtime

Saturday, February 7

Pucillo Gymnasium

1 p.m.

Millersville University

West Chester

West Chester Edges Marauders in Double Overtime

2/7/2009 6:54:08 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Millersville, Pa. — Saturday's women's basketball contest between Millersville and West Chester pitted two of the top teams in the PSAC East and it lived up to the billing. The two teams battled through two overtimes before West Chester managed to scratch out a 75-71 win over the homestanding Marauders.

Millersville (16-5, 5-3 PSAC East) and West Chester (15-6, 7-1 PSAC East) met in the PSAC East opener, and that game also went into overtime, making it 15 extra minutes in two games this season. The evenly matched clubs traded the lead eight times and were tied nine times Saturday afternoon. It was also the second-straight overtime game for the Marauders, as they defeated East Stroudsburg just three days before.

Millersville received 16 points and 16 rebounds from junior Jenna Craig, but the team shot just 35.2 percent from the field and committed 28 turnovers that turned into 31 West Chester points. Millersville's offensive struggles proved to be the deciding factor as the team did not manage a single point in double overtime. West Chester shot just 1-of-7 with three turnovers in the second overtime, but Dana Weems' layup at 2:34 proved to be enough. She and Megan Stewart each hit one free throw in the final 19 seconds. Millersville committed a turnover on five of its final six possessions.

It was also Weems that extended the game in the first overtime. Millersville's Ashley Moyer and Jenna Philo each hit 3-pointers to knot the game at 69-69, and after a West Chester miss, Gladine St. Julien hit a turnaround jumper in the paint with 37 seconds left to put Millersville up 71-69. Weems, however, answered just 13 seconds later with a two-point bucket of her own.

While the game finished close, it looked as if Millersville was going to run away early. Millersville jumped out to a 16-4 lead in the first six minutes, led by six points from Craig. But with 5:29 left in the first period, West Chester completely erased the deficit, tying the game at 21 with a jumper from Weems. West Chester took a four point lead into the half and extended it to as many as 10 with 4:56 left in the game. A furious Millersville comeback, sparked by 3-pointers from Emily Balogh and Moyer, cut the lead back to one point with 1:27 left.

The two teams traded baskets, and with seven seconds left in regulation, Philo hit one of two free throws to send the game into OT.

Philo finished with 15 points and four assists in 47 minutes. Moyer also added 15 points and three steals. Along with Craig's double-double, she added four assists, two blocks and a steal. Eight of her rebounds were on the offensive glass as well.

Dominique Stroman grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds and also tallied three steals.

West Chester was led by double-double efforts from Weems (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Janelle Garber (14 points, 10 rebounds).

Millersville will look to bounce back Wednesday evening at Shippensburg. Both Millersville and Shippensburg are currently 5-3 in the PSAC East. The Marauders won the first match-up on Jan. 21, 72-53.