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| Hope College athletics file photo by Steven M. Herppich |
Hope ran its winning streak against archrival Calvin to 16 straight, while No. 19 Baldwin Wallace hung in the OAC race and No. 20 UW-Whitewater cooled off UW-Oshkosh in Wednesday night’s Division III women’s basketball action.
- Wednesday, Feb. 8 scoreboard: Men | Women
- Alphabetical regional rankings: Men | Women
- More headlines: Men | Women
Calvin hung close and trailed by just four points midway through the third period until the Flying Dutch closed that quarter on a 15-4 run. Kate Majerus’ three-pointer gave Hope a 50-39 lead and Savannah Feenstra’s layup pushed the Flying Dutch’s lead to 13. Hope’s advantage remained at double digits for most of the final period.
Feenstra filled the box score with 15 points, nine rebounds and five steals for Hope (20-2, 11-2 MIAA). Gabby Timmer had 16 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks before fouling out for Calvin (18-4, 10-3 MIAA).
Hope has won 47 of 62 games against Calvin since 2000.
Megan Hensel’s three in the final minute of overtime gave No. 19 Baldwin Wallace a three-point lead, and the Yellow Jackets held off No. 10 Ohio Northern, 66-62.
In the final minute of regulation, Brynn Serbin gave Ohio Northern a 53-51 lead with a three-point play by driving and scoring through contact. Baldwin Wallace responded with a Carolyn Wochele three pointer from just in front of the Yellow Jackets’ bench, and then BW split a pair of free throws. Kristen Luersman’s layup pulled the Polar Bears even at 55 and that’s how regulation ended.
In the extra period, the teams battled to a standstill until Hensel’s three from the right wing. Luersman struck again for Ohio Northern and pulled the Polar Bears within 63-62 with 17 seconds left, but Hensel hit two free throws on Baldwin Wallace’s next possession and Regan Schill added one more to set the final score.
Hensel finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Baldwin Wallace (19-3, 12-3 OAC), which earned a split with Ohio Northern (19-3, 13-2 OAC) in the regular season series.
No. 20 UW-Whitewater jumped on UW-Oshkosh early and ended the Titans’ seven-game winning streak, 67-55. The Warhawks shot 63 percent and hit four 3-pointers in a first period that they ended with a 26-12 lead. Kacie Carollo posted a double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds) for UW-Whitewater (18-5, 9-3 WIAC). Abby Belschner added 20 points and nine boards for the Warhawks.
The showdown for first place in the MIAC was no contest, as No. 21 Gustavus Adolphus rolled over visiting Concordia-Moorhead, 82-56. The Gusties shot 54 percent from the field and had a 27-11 bench scoring advantage. Grace Benz finished one rebound shy of a double-double (12 points, nine rebounds) for Gustavus Adolphus (19-2, 17-2 MIAC), which expanded its lead over the Cobbers to two games with three to play.
Damarais Rodriguez had a triple-double and New Jersey City had its way with Rowan, as the Gothic Knights topped the Profs, 93-76. After an even first period, New Jersey City outscored Rowan by 10 in the second period and led the rest of the way. Rodriguez finished with 30 points on 12-for-28 shooting, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for New Jersey City (12-10, 12-4 NJAC). The Gothic Knights’ win knocks Rowan out of the three-way tie for first with Kean, which took care of Rutgers-Camden, 77-54.
Summer McNulty scored 28 points, and Elizabethtown kept the Landmark Conference title in play for now by beating Catholic, 68-58. After the Blue Jays outscored Catholic 12-3 in the first period, the Cardinals came all the way back and took a 44-38 lead on Eric Doherty’s three-pointer midway through the third quarter. Elizabethtown responded with a 15-0 run capped by DaniRae Renno’s layup early in the fourth quarter. Catholic could not get closer than six the rest of the way.
Elizabethtown sits two games back of No. 3 Scranton. The Lady Royals had four starters score double figures and defeated Drew, 54-42, to improve to 22-0, 11-0 in the Landmark.
No. 4 Smith led from start to finish in a 74-56 road win over Springfield that keeps the Pioneers a step ahead of the rest of the teams in the NEWMAC. Morgan Morrison and Katelyn Pickunka combined for 38 points on 18 for 23 shooting and grabbed 18 rebounds. The Pioneers will host No. Babson on Saturday for first place in the conference.
On the men's side, No. 2 Randolph-Macon shot 56 percent from the foul line and did not make a three pointer, but the Yellow Jackets mustered just enough offense to get past Averett at home, 53-51.
Averett, which lost to Randolph-Macon by 38 months a couple weeks ago, led the defending national champions 46-37 midway through the second half. The Yellow Jackets clawed back and took a 51-49 lead with less than three minutes to play on Miles Mallory's three-point play. Bryson McLaughlin answered immediately for the Panthers and the score remained stuck at 51-all until the closing seconds. After Averett missed a potential game-winning layup, Daniel Mbangue got to the rim and scored with one second remaining and the Panthers missed their desparation shot.
Randolph-Macon (22-1, 14-0 ODAC) has won 20 in a row overall and 61 in a row at home, one short of the Division III men's basketball record.
New Jersey City hit two threes in the final five seconds to stun No. 23 Rowan, 73-71, and end the Profs' 11-game winning streak. The Gothic Knights had the ball down 71-67 with five seconds left and inbounded it to Ryan Savoy, who splashed home a fade-away three pointer while falling out of bounds. Rowan threw a sloppy inbounds pass that was tipped by Pharoh Allah into the hands of Jason Battle and he banked in a three from a few steps inside halfcourt to win the game for NJCU.
Crazy ending as NJCU hits 2 3s in the last 5 seconds to beat Rowan @ESPNAssignDesk #d3hoops pic.twitter.com/tAdZi1M8V7
— Akiva Poppers (@PoppersMacsLive) February 9, 2023
#SCTop10 | HOLY MOLY! MADNESS AT THE JMAC!!!
— NJCUGothicKnights (@NJCUAthletics) February 9, 2023
Savoy drains a three and then Battle banks in the DEEP three-point buzzer-beater to take down #23-ranked Rowan; the Profs' first @NJACSports loss of the season!!@njcumbb @NJCUniversity @d3hoops @espn @ESPNAssignDesk @SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/xvfzubJDFM
The Gothic Knights (11-12, 6-10 NJAC) had two players foul out and five others finish the game with four personal fouls. Savoy finished with 15 points and six rebounds.
Top-ranked St. Joseph (Conn.) had an easier time at Emmanuel where the Blue Jays topped the Saints, 92-70. Ryan O'Neill scored 24 points in 28 minutes for St. Joseph (23-0, 16-0 GNAC), which will be the top seed in its conference tournament.
Carleton claimed a share of the MIAC title by rallying past St. John's, 77-72. The Johnnies made their first seven 3-point shots and led 42-26 in the closing minutes of the first half. The Knights closed the deficit to single digits before halftime and then finished the game on a 10-1 run. Jeremy Beckler led Carleton (19-3, 14-3 MIAC) with 31 points. The Knights can win the MIAC title outright with a win at second-place Macalester on Saturday.