Wooster Starts Strong, Finishes Slow in Loss to OWU

The College of Wooster women's basketball team was balanced early on, with seven different players getting on the scoreboard during a closely-contested first half, but Ohio Wesleyan University used a late scoring run to push past the Fighting Scots 73-50 on Wednesday evening in North Coast Athletic Conference action at Delaware, Ohio.

The Scots (5-7, 0-4 NCAC) were very much in the game until the latter parts of the second half, as they trailed the Battling Bishops (7-6, 2-2 NCAC) by just four at the halftime break, and by single-digits with under eight minutes remaining in regulation.

Ohio Wesleyan built a 12-point lead at 46-34, its biggest advantage of the night to that point, only to see Maura Hall sink a pair of free throws and Rachel Collins a 3-pointer that pulled the Scots within seven (46-39) with around nine minutes to go.

It remained a single-digit game until there was 7:20 on the clock, when Ohio Wesleyan hit a 3-pointer to go up 12 (51-39), and went on to outscore the Scots 27-11 down the stretch, which included an 11-0 scoring run.

Wooster took an early lead to start the first half, as Sydney Grier opened the game with a 3-pointer, and moments later, Lauren Hancher scored a lay-up that put the Scots ahead 6-2. Both teams traded baskets throughout the rest of the period, including a bucket by Sydney Failing from behind the arc that cut Wooster's deficit to one at 15-14. It was never more than a two-possession game at any point during the first half.

Overall, Hancher had the most efficient game for the Scots, as she scored 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, while adding six rebounds and a blocked shot in just 19 minutes. Walker led the team with 11 points, and also added six boards, while Grier chipped in eight tallies.

Additionally, Nisa Usman saw her most extensive playing time of the season (13 minutes), and shot 2-of-2 for four points with three rebounds, while Suvi Puripattarapan paced the team in assists (4) and steals (2).

Ohio Wesleyan's Sarah McQuade led all scorers with 14 points.

The Scots will look to get back in the win column when they visit their rival, Wittenberg University (7-5, 2-2 NCAC), on Saturday at 2 p.m.