Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 64, Mount Union 59
Wilmington 63, Mount Aloysius 47

Senior post Cierra Joiner (Centerburg) scored 9 points during the second quarter as Ohio Wesleyan built a double-digit lead, and the Bishops withstood a furious Mount Union comeback to take a win during the second day of the Bishop Classic/Hoops for Hope tournament on Thursday at Branch Rickey Arena.

In Thursday's opener, Wilmington defeated Mount Aloysius by a count of 63-47.

Wins by Mount Union and Ohio Wesleyan on Wednesday made Thursday's pre-arranged matchup between the teams the de facto championship game, and both teams played rugged defense during the first quarter.  A free throw by senior post Molly Delaney (Delaware/Olentangy) broke a 9-9 tie with 4:10 remaining in the period, and neither team would score again until a Delaney jumper just over a minute into the second quarter.

Joiner then took over, hitting a free throw and back-to-back buckets to stretch the lead to 17-11, then adding a hoop and assisting on a 3-pointer by sophomore point guard Elizabeth Homan (Cincinnati/Anderson).  A lay-in by freshman wing Karlee Ross (Beverly/Fort Frye) stretched the Bishop lead to 27-17 late in the period.

The Purple Raiders closed to within 29-21 on a pair of free throws by Emma Canyon with :04 to play, but sophomore guard Lauren Denison (Pataskala/Watkins Memorial) beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer from just inside midcourt to give Ohio Wesleyan a 32-21 lead at the intermission.

Ohio Wesleyan extended its lead to 40-24 on a steal and lay-in by sophomore guard Kasey Schipfer (Mechanicsburg) at the 6:26 mark of the third quarter, and the Bishops still led by 16 after Joiner converted a 3-point play for a 45-29 lead with 3:29 to go.

Kelsie Glass knocked down a pair of 3-pointers during a 7-0 Mount Union run, and the visitors pulled within 49-42 on a Maddy Miles free throw during the final minute of the third quarter.  The Purple Raiders came closer on another Glass 3-pointer eearly in the fourth quarter, and when Madison Hensley sank a pair of free throws midway through the period, it was a 54-52 game.

Lay-ins by Schipfer and Delaney gave the Bishops a 60-53 lead with 1:25 remaining, but Mount Union countered with a Glass jumper before Hensley stole the inbounds pass and scored for a 60-57 game with :48 to go.

Joiner then found Denison open beyond the arc, and Denison buried a 3-pointer to make it a 2-possession game with :26 left, and the Bishops closed out the game with a Denison free throw with :05 remaining.

Joiner led the Bishops with 20 points and 4 assists.  Delaney scored 14 points, Schiper had 12 points and a team-high 9 rebounds, and Denison finished with 10 points.

Glass had 18 points for Mount Union.

Joiner represented Ohio Wesleyan on the all-tournament team.  She was joined by Glass of Mount Union, Kennedy Lewis of Wilmington, and Cameron Bates of Mount Aloysius.

Ohio Wesleyan-Mount Union Box Score
Mount Aloysius-Wilmington Box Score