Wooster Makes Donation to Cure Starts Now Following Back-and-Forth Finish at MSJ

The College of Wooster came up just short in a thrilling game against Mount St. Joseph University, 66-65, on Tuesday afternoon at Cincinnati, Ohio, but overshadowing the result, was the presence of Lauren Hill, whose courageous battle with cancer was again on display, this time providing inspiration for the Fighting Scots.

Following the conclusion of the game, Wooster head coach Ashley Reid presented Hill with a donation of $650 for the Cure Starts Now Foundation – an organization that supports Hill and the fight against cancer, specifically brain cancer. Reid and the Scots raised the money by selling "Play for Lauren" T-shirts at recent home games.

It was Hill that scored the first points of the contest, as she dropped in a lay-up to put the Lions (3-5) ahead 2-0. Wooster (1-8) then gained control temporarily, using a quick 8-1 scoring run to take an 8-3 lead, but the Lions tied the game up at 8-8 and again at 11-11.

It was a one- or two-possession game for the remainder of the first half, with the Scots doing nearly all of their damage from behind the arc. Of Wooster's 11 first-half field goals, nine were 3-pointers, including eight straight heading into the break – but Mount St. Joseph withstood the barrage and held a six-point advantage at halftime, 38-32.

Wooster's deficit grew to as much as 12 on two occasions, including at 51-39 with 13:14 remaining in the game, but as has been the case in recent games, the Scots made a strong push down the stretch.

Over the next eight minutes, Wooster put together an exciting 17-4 scoring run to take its first lead since early in the first half. In the latter parts of the run, Lauren Hancher knocked down a jumper to pull the Scots within four (53-49), and on their next possession, Hancher dished to Rachel Huxhold for a basket that made it a two-point game (53-51).

Mount St. Joseph scored to push its lead back up to four (55-51), but then Hancher drained another shot, and next, Danielle Besancon scored her only points of the game – a go-ahead 3-pointer to put Wooster on top 56-55 with 5:36 to go.

The Scots increased their lead to as much as four (61-57), but the Lions responded with six-straight points to regain control at 63-61. The game was tied twice during the closing minutes, once at 63-63 when Huxhold hit a contested jumper, and again at 65-65 after Hancher tossed in a pair of free throws.

Finally, with just seconds remaining on the clock, Erica Walsh drove to the basket and drew a foul, and after missing the first free throw, she made the second to give Mount St. Joseph a 66-65 victory.

Sydney Grier followed up yesterday's 14-point effort with a game-high 19 points, which included five 3-pointers, while adding career-highs in rebounds (8) and assists (6). Also flirting with a triple-double was Huxhold with 10 points, a career-high seven assists, and five rebounds.

Wooster made 13 3-pointers in all, which is tied for the second-most in a game in program history. Along with Grier, Aki Shurelds was also dangerous from downtown, with four 3-balls, while Huxhold (2), Besancon (1), and Collins (1) added the others. Besancon also passed out a career-high four assists.

The Scots will be off for 13 days before returning to the court to play in the Capital University Christmas Tournament on Dec. 29-30.