GRANVILLE, Ohio — The Wittenberg women's basketball team had Denison, ranked eighth in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, against the ropes for almost 40 minutes Wednesday night, but almost was where it stopped as the Big Red proved their ranking by coming back to win a 62-60 contest.
The Tigers drop to 11-13 overall and 6-7 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) following the heart-stopping loss, in which they led by seven at the half and 10 with 6:21 to play in the game.
Denison led for a total of only 40 seconds in the game, mounting a furious comeback over the last six minutes to tie things up at 57 with just 40 seconds remaining. Part of the effort included an 8-0 run between the 6:21 and 4:38 marks.
Junior forward Lyndsey Clark (New Carlisle, Ohio/Tecumseh) scored the first two baskets as Wittenberg started the game on an 11-0 run and surprised the defending NCAC Tournament champions. Aside from two tie scores, the Tigers controlled the first half, at times leading by as many as 12 points.
Freshman guard Jaclyn Willoughby (Sidney, Ohio/Houston) scored five of those first 11 points, including one three-pointer, to finish with a share of the team lead at 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-4 from distance, to go with five rebounds, also a share of the team lead. She also posted a team-best five assists.
Junior post Sarah Watson (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) held the other share of the team lead in scoring, thanks in large part to 6-of-7 at the free throw line. She also picked up five rebounds, along with sophomore post Kim Replogle (Houston, Ohio/Houston).
Senior wing Katherine Hueter (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Darby) checked in with 12 points and two steals, and was one of three Tigers with four rebounds, including Clark and sophomore Ashanta Robinson (Yellow Springs, Ohio/Yellow Springs).
Watson and Clark each dished three assists, while as a team the Tigers shot 41.5 percent from the floor and 11-of-12 at the free throw line in the game. Wittenberg's defense went a long way towards holding Denison off for as the Big Red shot just 33.9 percent in the game, including just 10-of-33 in the first half.
The Tigers made five of their 10 three-point attempts, while Denison hit just six-of-24. The two teams each finished with 37 rebounds. The difference was in the free throws, where Denison got to the line 15 times and sank 14 attempts.