All-Around Effort Ends in Double-Overtime Heartbreaker for Wooster

Junior Rachel Collins hit a game-tying 3-pointer with :26 remaining in regulation, and The College of Wooster women's basketball team had a chance to win it at the end of the first overtime, but a pair of 5-0 stretches by host Ohio Wesleyan University in double overtime clinched a 101-94 decision for the Battling Bishops on Wednesday evening at the Branch Rickey Arena in Delaware, Ohio.

Wooster's (5-8, 1-3 North Coast Athletic Conference) 94 points tied for the second-most in a single game in program history, and was one shy of matching the single-game mark. The contest marked the most points by the Fighting Scots since Wooster scored 94 against Trinity Washington University during the 2002-03 season.

Senior Lauren Hancher finished with a game-high 38 points, two shy of matching her school-record of 40 set against Hiram College on Jan. 28, 2015, and tying W Association Hall of Famer Katie Montague for the second-most in a single contest. Midway through the first overtime session, Hancher joined Kym Wenz as the only two players in program history with multiple 35-plus point games. The forward added 10 rebounds in the contest for her second career double-double. Coincidently, the performance marked the second-straight Wednesday with a double-double for Wooster's dual-sport standout.

Also of note, Hancher's 38 points tied for the eighth-most scored in a game in Div. III this season. Her 16 field goals matched head coach Lisa Panepento's single-game Wooster mark from when the W Association Hall of Famer was a senior standout at the College. Hancher's 33 field goal attempts also set a new single-game program record.

Collins, and first-year guard Anna Gibbs also recorded double-doubles in the contest.

Collins, who finished with 12 points, matched her career-high with 10 rebounds for her second career double-double. The Westlake, Ohio native previously recorded one against Allegheny College on Feb. 18, 2015 with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Gibbs notched her first career double-double with 20 points that were backed up by a season-best 10 assists. The 20-point game marked the third of the dynamic first-year's young career.

Senior Sydney Grier connected on back-to-back 3-pointers in the third period, which at the time cut Ohio Wesleyan's (2-11, 1-3 NCAC) lead down to one at 53-52. The pair of makes moved the local product into a tie for fifth on the College's all-time 3-pointer list.

Wooster rallied from a five-point deficit with 1:54 remaining in regulation. Hancher sparked the game-tying segment with a layup, making the score 79-76 with 1:41 left in the fourth period. Wooster, who led the rebounding margin for a majority of the contest, had key defensive rebounds from Collins and sophomore Katie Mandych, the latter of which set up Collins' game-tying trifecta.

Hancher came away with a rebound with :06 remaining in regulation, setting up a chance at a game-winning shot from midcourt. The Bishops, with a foul to give, were able to tie up Gibbs just before the first-year started her shooting motion from near halfcourt.

Wooster had two opportunities to potentially win the contest at the end of the first overtime, but layups from Gibbs, and a last-second put-back attempt from junior Danielle Besancon did not fall.

The Scots did have a strong start to the first overtime session with a second 3-pointer from Collins handing Wooster a quick 3-point lead. Wooster, against would lead by three at 85-82 with 3:56 left in overtime after a pair of free throws from Hancher.

An and-one play from Ohio Wesleyan's Taylor Dickson capped the first 5-0 stretch of the second extra session, giving the Bishops a 96-91 edge. Besancon quickly countered with a 3-pointer, knocking Wooster's deficit to two, prior to five free throws from Ohio Wesleyan sealing the contest.

Earlier in the game, Wooster ended the first half on an 8-0 run with four different Scots contributing, helping turn what was a 12-point Ohio Wesleyan lead with 4:52 remaining in the second period, to just a two-point halftime advantage.

Wooster gained its first lead of the contest with :58 remaining in the third period, when a layup from Hancher capped a 6-2 stretch for the Scots.

Ohio Wesleyan was led by Megan Kuether and Dickson who scored 34 and 33 points respectively, while combining to shoot 25-of-36 from the field.

Of note, the game was Wooster's first double overtime contest since Dec. 30, 2007, when the Scots topped Kalamazoo College 93-92.

The 195 combined points set a NCAC record for most points scored by both teams. The previous high was 194 set in a contest between Allegheny and Oberlin College in 1991, a total that was later matched by Ohio Wesleyan and Point Park University in 1997.

Wooster remains on the road for a 2 p.m. tilt at Wittenberg University (3-8, 2-2 NCAC) on Saturday.