WAUKESHA, Wis. – Brooke Foster hit a game-tying three-point shot at the buzzer to send the Carroll University women's basketball team to overtime and pulled out a victory over Carthage by a score of 82-75. Foster set a new career-high 23 points on 5-7 shooting from three while going 4-4 at the free throw line. Olivia Rangel dropped 27, seven rebounds, and had six assists.
 
The Pioneers (12-6, 7-2 CCIW) win their first overtime game since 2013 in dramatic fashion. The Pioneers hit 50% of their shots and made 7-22 three-pointers. To put the Firebirds away, the Pios sank 17 of 21 free throws. Carroll led by as much as 18 to start the second quarter but Carthage stormed back and led by four with just over a minute left in the game. The Pioneers recorded 10 steals and forced 16 turnovers, but Carroll committed 20 of their own.
 
Carroll opened up the game with six straight points after forcing two turnovers in the opening minute to force a Carthage timeout. Carroll continued their streak and went up 13-0 before Carthage scored their first points of the night. Rangel scored her seventh point of the game to give Carroll an 18-4 lead with 5:12 left in the quarter. Carroll led 24-8 after 10 minutes of action in what were the makings to be an early night for the starters. After a technical foul on Carthage's head coach, and two made free throws by Foster, Carthage started a 5-0 run that was quickly stopped by Natalie Gricius' three-pointer. The Firebirds ended the first half on another 5-0 and held the Pios to only 11 points while forcing nine turnovers.
 
Up 12 points, Rangel started the second half with a layup in the paint, but Carthage responded to every shot the Pioneers made. Kate Christian scored four straight points to go with a steal, but the Firebirds still cut the lead down to single digits after a made three-pointer with 4:16 left in the third.  Allison Thompson was able to re-start Carroll's scoring after a six-minute scoreless streak, but the damage was done, and the Firebirds were down just four going into the final quarter. Foster opened the fourth with her fourth three-pointer of the game to expand the lead to seven, and Rangel knocked down a three as well, but Carthage had managed to cut the lead down to one inside the paint.  The Firebirds tied the game with 4:03 left and took the lead despite two made free throws from Foster. Marianna Morrissey from Carthage nailed a jumper outside the paint to take a four-point lead with 17 seconds remaining. Rangel drew a foul on the other end and went 1-2 at the line. Megan Madsen grabbed the offensive rebound in a jump ball situation, to set up the baseline play for Foster. Rangel handed the ball to Foster five feet behind the line and the shot sank as the clock rang out. Foster scored 16 of her 23 points in the second half and 10 in the fourth quarter.
 
In overtime, Carthage quickly regained the lead from free throws, but Carroll scored on three-straight offensive possessions to retake a two-point lead. Thompson's and-one three-point play pushed Carroll up three. Rangel went 5-6 at the free throw line in the final two minutes to keep Carthage out of contention, with the help of the Pio defense forcing two Firebird turnovers in the final minute.
 
Carroll will bring home their past players on Saturday, January 28 with a friendly game between alumni before the current Pios take on North Park at 2 PM in Van Male Field House.