Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 68, Oberlin 62
Senior post Tamra Londot (Utica), sophomore post Emily Julius (Avon), and junior post LaNiece McRae (Youngstown/Chaney) scored 8 points apiece as Ohio Wesleyan built a 27-point first-half lead, and junior guard Sarah McQuade (Dublin/Coffman) sank some key free throws down the stretch as the Bishops withstood an Oberlin rally and finished off a North Coast Athletic Conference win on Monday at Branch Rickey Arena.
Down, 4-2, in the early going, the Bishops took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by senior wing Julia Grimsley (Alliance), and extended the lead into double digits when 3 consecutive McRae hoops gave Ohio Wesleyan a 19-8 lead with 11:47 left in the first half.
The Yeowomen were still within 23-13 when Ohio Wesleyan went on a 20-3 run that included a 3-pointer and a pair of hoops by junior post Kristin Henning (Beavercreek), a pair of buckets by freshman post Taylor Dickson (Baltimore/Liberty Union), and a 3-pointer from freshman wing Kierstynn Myers (Westerville/Olentangy Orange). Myers' 3-pointer capped the Ohio Wesleyan scoring spree and gave the Bishops a 43-16 lead with less than a minute to play in the period.
Ohio Wesleyan still held a 52-27 lead with 14:04 left in regulation time, but Oberlin got back into the game with a 12-0 run that saw Caroline Hamilton go 4-for-4 from the line, Malisa Hoak contribute a pair of steals and a lay-in and a pair of free throws, and Lindsey Bernhardt knock down a 3-pointer.
Dickson's jumper at the 9:41 mark pushed the lead back to 14 points at 56-42, but the Yeowomen assembled another 12-0 run, this time getting 3-pointers by Hoak and Bernhardt along the way, and when Hoak sank a pair of free throws with 4:50 to go, the visitors had pulled to within 56-54.
The Yeowomen had a chance to tie the game, but Lillian Jahan's jumper was off the mark.
Julius answered with a 3-pointer for Ohio Wesleyan on the other end, giving the Bishops a 5-point lead, but lay-ins by Hoak and Christina Marquette brought Oberlin within 59-58 with 2:49 to play.
A McRae lay-in and a pair of free throws by freshman guard Megan Kuether (Osgood/Marion Local) restored Ohio Wesleyan's 5-point lead, but Oberlin rallied with a pair of Lillian Jahan free throws and a Hoak lay-in to pull within 63-62 with :24 to go.
On the Bishops' ensuing possession, McQuade brought the ball upcourt and was fouled by Bernhardt, with a flagrant foul charged on the play. McQuade hit both free throws on the original foul, and with the Bishops retaining possession as a result of the flagrant foul, drew another foul on the inbounds play and sank both free throws for a 67-62 Ohio Wesleyan lead with :18 left. After Hoak was off the mark on a 3-pointer, Londot cleared the rebound and was fouled, then hit one of 2 from the line to account for the 68-62 final.
Julius led the Bishops with 14 points, while Londot finished with 11 points and a team-best 11 rebounds. McQuade and McRae scored 10 points apiece.
Hoak led Oberlin with 22 points.
Box Score
