Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 78, Allegheny 60

Senior guard Nicole Popovich (Rocky River) scored 5 points and senior guard Claire Sterling (West Jefferson) added 4 more during an 18-4 third-quarter run that helped Ohio Wesleyan pull away for a win over Allegheny in a quarterfinal matchup of the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament on Tuesday at Branch Rickey Arena.

With the win, Ohio Wesleyan advances to the tournament semifinals to face top-seeded DePauw, an 89-48 winner over Hiram on Tuesday.  The Bishops and Tigers will square off in one semifinal, with second-seeded Denison taking on third-seeded Wittenberg in the other.

Ohio Wesleyan had taken a 36-30 lead at the half, but Allegheny opened the second half with a lay-in from Alexis Caldwell to close within 36-32.

Popovich knocked down a 3-pointer to kick off the Bishop run, and Sterling answered a Zoe Youdell lay-in with one of her own to push the lead back to 9 points at 43-34.  Sophomore guard Molly Delaney (Delaware/Olentangy) sank 3 free throws, and jumpers from sophomore post Cierra Joiner (Centerburg) and sophomore guard Leah Maniaci (Marion/Pleasant) followed in short order before lay-ins from Popovich and Sterling extended the Ohio Wesleyan lead to 54-36 with 3:02 remaining in the quarter.

Delaney and Joiner opened the fourth quarter with buckets that stretched the margin to 64-44.

The Gators rallied, assembling a run that included hoops from Rylee Donovan and Julianna Skowron that brought the visitors within 68-55 midway through the period, but the Bishops stopped that threat by erupting for 6 points in less than a minute, with Maniaci going 4-for-4 from the line and Delaney adding a jumper, to push the lead back to 74-55 with exactly 3:00 to play.

Ohio Wesleyan had taken the lead for good with a 9-0 burst late in the first quarter, with 2 baskets and a free throw from Popovich helping turn a 14-13 deficit into a 22-14 lead.  Allegheny closed to within a single point midway through the second quarter, but Popovich sparked another run, scoring back-to-back hoops before Maniaci connected from downtown to give the Bishops a 34-26 lead late in the half.

Popovich led Ohio Wesleyan with 22 points.  Joiner finished with 14 points and a team-high 9 rebounds, Maniaci scored 13 points, and Sterling added 10 points and a team-best 5 assists.

Youdell had 16 points for Allegheny.

Box Score