GREENSBORO, N.C. – Kaitlyn Astel's basket with 2.3 seconds left in regulation gave Stevens Institute of Technology a 65-64 basketball win over Guilford College in Sunday's final game of the Guilford Classic.
The Ducks' (1-2) victory meant each of the four teams in the weekend event split two games. Denison University defeated Lynchburg College in Sunday's first contest, 59-36.
Guilford (3-1) called timeout after Astel's go-ahead basket and advanced possession to the frontcourt. The Quakers' Anais Weatherly took the inbounds pass and drove to the basket, but could not release a shot before time expired.
The back-and-forth game featured seven ties and 13 lead changes. Guilford led by eight at the end of the first quarter, but the Ducks rallied and had a 33-31 halftime advantage. The score was even at 54 after three quarters, which set the stage for an entertaining final 10 minutes. The Quakers closed the third quarter on an 11-1 run to tie the score, and went ahead on Essence Abraham's three-pointer to start the fourth. The lead changed hands four times in the final frame.
Guilford scored its final points on a Lauren Ramsey three-pointer with 5:54 remaining as the teams settled into a defensive struggle for the rest of the game. Miranda Ripken's basket with 3:26 left brought the Ducks to within one, 64-63. Stevens used its final timeout to set up a shot for Astel, which missed, but Megan Brown collected the rebound on a held ball. Stevens inbounded to Astel, who missed a short jumper with around four seconds left. She came up with the rebound after a somewhat lengthy scramble and scored what proved the game-winner.
Astel finished with a game-high 18 points, plus six rebounds, three assists and a game-best four steals. The Ducks' Brown finished with 13 points and 11 boards. Erica Guketlov also had 13 points and Anna Toke added nine points and five rebounds off the bench. Stevens forced 21 Quakers' turnovers, which led to 21 points.
Ramsey's season-high 17 points paced Guilford. Abraham scored a career-best 13 points off the bench thanks to three three-pointers. Weatherly and Jordyn Brown both scored eight points for Guilford. Amy Steller chipped in six points, four rebounds, five assists and a steal.
Denison (3-2) outscored Lynchburg, 17-5, in the second quarter and never looked back in a 59-36 win over the Hornets (2-2). The Big Red's Kellie Arter hit for a game-high 19 points and three three-pointers. Teammate Jordan Holmes added 17 points, 15 boards, five blocks and two steals.
Lynchburg, which defeated Stevens in Saturday's first game of the Classic, shot 23.7 percent from the floor and made just one of 12 three-point shots. Olivia Defrancesco, Chaney Forbush and Charmaine Hairston each scored a team-best eight points.
Coach Stephanie Flamini's Quakers host North Carolina Wesleyan College Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Flamini needs one victory to become Guilford's career women's basketball coaching wins leader.