MU NEEDS OVERTIME IN 74-64 WIN OVER CUAA

1/23/2008 3:33:00 PM

By: Patrick Moore
LIVONIA, Mich. -- A pair of made free throws by Christie Carrico (Waterford, Mich.) with nine ticks left in regulation sent the game into overtime and sealed a 14-point comeback for the Madonna women's basketball team in a 74-64 overtime win over visiting Concordia Wednesday night inside the Activities Center. Carrico led MU with 26 points, 22 of those coming in the second half and overtime. With the win, Madonna is now 9-11 (4-2 WHAC) on the season while Concordia falls to 8-12 (2-4 WHAC).  

The first half was tightly contested - with four ties and three lead changes - as neither side held a lead of more than seven. After Caryn Inman (Oxford, Mich.) tied the contest at 13-13, Concordia took the lead back for good in the half on a made free throw by Jennifer O'Neil at 14-13. CUAA then built the lead out to seven on a Meghan Marihugh put-back for a 24-17 Cardinal edge. The Crusaders cut the lead down to four on an Alyssa Guerin triple to make it 26-22 but a fast break score by O'Neil made it 28-22 and it stayed a six-point game going into halftime.

Coming out of the break, Carrico scored off a pass from Cali Crawford (Rochester, Mich.) to cut the deficit back to four at 28-24, but that momentum was short lived as Concordia built its lead back out to nine on two separate occasions.

Tabatha Wydryck's (Riverview, Mich.) score off of an Ashley Junga turnover got Madonna back to with in four with 14:15 left, but the Cards stifled that that threat and methodically built their lead back out to 14 points with 10:53 left on a Melanie Lahrman score to make it 47-33.

The Crusaders slowly started to cut back into the lead, using a three-point play from Becca Rufli (Fenton, Mich.), and five points from Carrico - including converting all three free throw chances she saw after being fouled hard attempting a triple as the shot clock ran down - to cut the deficit to single digits at nine with 5:48 to play. 

The two teams traded baskets over the next three-plus minutes until it stood at 57-51 Concordia with 2:08 left after another Lahrman free throw. Carrico made the front-end of a two-shot attempt but Inman grabbed the offensive board and a put a shot of her own up, seeing the miss grabbed by Carrico who made the her put back and was fouled. Carrico completed the old fashioned three point play to cut the CU lead to just two at 57-55 with 1:22 showing on the clock.

Inman tied the game for the fifth time, using a Wydryck steal to get the ball for a lay-up and tie the game at 57-57 with 44 seconds left. Junga untied the game with a pair of free throws, but that set the stage for Carrico who drew contact and got herself to the line with nine seconds left and the chance to send the game to overtime in her hands. The junior forward calmly stepped to the line and sank both charity tosses and the Cards could not get a final shot off, sending the game to an extra period.

After MU controlled the tap to open overtime, Carrico once again found herself with the ball, this time 23 feet from the basket with just two seconds showing on the shot clock. Her desperation toss found the bottom of the net and gave the Crusaders a lead they would not relinquish in the extra period. MU made 10 of their 12 free throw attempts in overtime to seal their 74-64 win and improve to 4-2 in league play.

Carrico led all players with her 26. Inman and Rufli each scored 14, with Rufli's being a season high. Junga led Concordia with 21 points.

The Crusaders now set their sites on a showdown with seventh-ranked and league leader Davenport. MU travels to Grand Rapids for a 1:00 pm showdown with the Panthers on Saturday.

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