The win is the third straight for the Huskies who improve to 7-3 overall. Dropping its third straight game, MCLA falls to 5-5 on the season. The Huskies advance to the championship game of their invitational tournament and will face Babson College at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. MCLA will face UW-Stout in the consolation game at 1:00 p.m.
Trailing by four, 69-65, with 2:49 on the clock, the Huskies were able to execute down the stretch, converting from the free throw line, to outscore the Trailblazers 13-6 to close out the game and earn the win. Four consecutive free throws from USM senior forward Courtney Cochran (Waite, Maine/Woodland) started the rally pulling the Huskies even at 69 with 2:07 to play.
Senior guard Alie Dobrovolc (Little Falls, N.Y./Little Falls) broke up the USM mini-run with one of two free throws, before the Huskies' Jordan scored the next four points on a pair of free throws and a fast break layup for a 73-70 USM lead with 1:04 to play. Cochran came up big defensively for the Huskies on MCLA's ensuing play, blocking senior forward Jen Wehner's (Cooperstown, N.Y.) attempt at an offensive put back and USM senior guard Nicole Garland (Portland, Maine/Deering) extended the Husky lead to five, 75-70, with two free throws. Wehner countered Garland with two free throws of her own to trail USM 75-72 with 25 second to play.
Forced to foul, the Trailblazers quickly put Garland back on the line for the Huskies' and she delivered with two more free throws for a 77-72 lead with 22 to play. The Trailblazers kept their hopes alive with their next possession when junior guard Lucy Tremblay (East Greenbush, N.Y./Columbia) drained a deep three pointer for a 77-75 USM lead, but the Huskies' Kim Rivet(Bridgton, Maine/Lake Region) made one of two free throws to seal the 78-75 victory.
Jordan led all scorers with 27 points on an outstanding 11-for-16 effort from the field. The 5-9 forward added four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Cochran notched her sixth double-double of the season with 18 points and 16 rebounds, while adding two blocked shots. Garland had 16 points, including three three-pointers, and was 7-for-8 from the free throw line. Garland also had five rebounds. Rivet had seven points and four steals in a solid effort off of the bench.
Dobrovolc led MCLA with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. She was 7-for-15 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line. Wehner earned a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. Wehner recorded her 1000th career rebound midway through the second half. Tremblay finished with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
In the first game of the tournament, 16th-ranked Babson College Beavers rode 20 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals from senior forward Kathleen King (Framingham, Mass.) to defeat the University of Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils 72-52. King was one of three Babson players in double-figures. Junior forward Sarah Collins (Weymouth, Mass.) had 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, while senior forward Nicki Wurdeman (Rowley, Mass./Triton Regional) had a quiet double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Blue Devils were lead by 14 points from freshman guard Bethany Reyzer (Altoona, Wis.). Reyzer was 5-for-7 from the field, including a strong 4-for-5 effort from three-point range. Junior guard Kayal Windt (Pence, Wis./Hurley) added 10 points and five steals. Junior forward Whitney Rawdon (Eau Claire, Wis./North) added nine points and five steals.
–cac–