Allegheny 90, Ohio Wesleyan 84
Sophomore guard Kandis Walker (Utica) scored to bring Ohio Wesleyan within 73-71 with 4:25 left in regulation time, but Allegheny scored the next 9 points to repel the Bishop comeback and went on post a win in a North Coast Athletic Conference tournament semifinal contest on Friday in Granville.
After senior post Kayla Gordon (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) gave the Bishops an early 4-3 lead, the Gators reeled off the next 8 points to take the lead for good, with Heidi Goeller scoring the last 3 Allegheny baskets in that run.
Senior guard Tyler Cordell (Columbus/St. Francis DeSales) ended Ohio Wesleyan's scoreless stretch with a jumper, but the Gators answered with the next 6 points, taking a 17-6 lead after hoops by Saddie Gravatt and Goeller.
Allegheny would stretch the margin to 26-10 at the midway point of the first half. The Gators took a 45-31 lead at the break and still held a 58-45 advantage with 13:33 left in regulation time.
Ohio Wesleyan stormed back into the game with an 11-2 run, collecting a traditional 3-point play and a 3-pointer from senior guard Pam Quigney (Mentor), along with a lay-in and a 3-point play by Cordell, to close the gap to 60-56 with 11:19 remaining.
Erica Restich knocked down a 3-pointer for Allegheny to stop the bleeding, but Cordell answered with a 3-pointer on the Bishops' next trip down the court, and when Quigney followed with a 3-pointer and freshman post Tamra Londot (Utica) hit a jumper from the lane, Ohio Wesleyan was within 65-64 with 9:43 to play.
A pair of Restich free throws and a Jill Gregory jumper pushed the Gator lead back to 73-66 at the 6:29 mark, but the Bishops came back once again, with Quigney sinking yet another 3-pointer and Walker's lay-in making it a 73-71 game with 4:25 to play.
Restich countered with a 3-pointer for the Gators, and Daryl Ford would hit a lay-in and pair of free thrGows before a pair of Restich free throws moved the Allegheny lead back into double digits at 82-71 with 1:46 left.
The Bishops had one more comeback left and closed to within 85-79 as Gordon collected a jumper from the lane, a pair of free throws, and a 3-point play, but Allegheny hit 4 straight free throws to put the game out of reach.
Gordon led the Bishops with a season-high 31 points and 10 rebounds. Quigney finished with 24 points, going 5-for-8 from downtown, and Cordell added 10 points and led the Bishops with 7 assists.
Ford led Allegheny with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Restich scored 20 points, Goeller finished with 19 points, and Gravatt added 11 points.
Box Score
