If John Carroll was going to make good on its quest to start a season 4-0 for the first time in 20 years, it would have to earn it.
Four overtimes would seem to meet the criteria for "well earned."
Blue Streak freshman Erin Mog scored the final three points and made a key steal in the waning seconds to help the host school prevail by a 100-97 count Wednesday night at the DeCarlo Varsity Center.
"Even if I said this the best game I have ever been a part of, I feel I'd be selling it short,' said an exhausted yet elated John Carroll coach Kristie Maravalli. "I won't go anywhere near saying it was the best played game, but in terms of effort and determination on both sides, and how both teams just dug in and made big play after big play, it would be hard to top this."
John Carroll opened the contest with a 14-4 burst, only to have Case Western Reserve take control with a 28-8 run to close the first half and take a 32-22 lead into the break.
The Blue Streaks answered the bell in the second half and tied the game at 39-39 on a three ball by Mog at the 14:42 mark.
From there, neither team would surge ahead by more than five points. That took place when Case Reserve's Erica Iafelice buried a three-pointer to give her side a 61-56 advantage with 2:12 to play.
John Carroll roared back and scored nine of the next 11 points to take a 65-63 lead with 15 ticks left, but Spartans senior Evy Iacano sent the game into extra time when she drove the baseline for a lay up in the final seconds.
The overtime sessions built to a crescendo. The first period saw both teams manage just four points and the second just six. In the third overtime, things began to heat up. JCU scored the first five points on baskets by Missy Spahar and Elissa Day, only to have the Spartans score the next six points and take an 81-80 lead
After three more tie scores, Iafelice split a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left to give Case Western Reserve an 86-84 lead, but Mog raced down the floor, split the defense and sent the game into a fourth extra period on a lay-up with just over three seconds remaining.
In the fourth extra stanza, the teams traded blows and free throws until the score stood at 97-97 with 28 seconds on the clock following two Iacano free tosses.
Mog would make a lay-up with 14 seconds left but missed the bonus free throw. As Case scrambled to get up court down by two points, Mog stole a pass from Iafelice and was fouled immediately. She made one of two free throws with just under five seconds left. Out of timeouts, Case could not muster a potential game tying shot as time expired.
John Carroll (4-0) won the longest game in program history thanks to 24 points from Mog, who nearly recorded a triple double with nine points and nine rebounds. Spahar added 20 points while Beth Switzler and Allison Lustig added 18 points apiece. JCU had a decent shooting night from the field (35-74, .473) and arc (9-19, .474) but was hindered by an awful night at the charity stripe (21-45, .467)
Case Western Reserve (3-3) dropped its third consecutive game despite a 37-point night from Iacano, who was 14-35 from the field and made all eight of her free throws. Iafelice added 14 points and Erin Reynolds contributed 12 for the Spartans, who collected 61 rebounds on the night.