Backcourt Leads Scots to First NCAC Win

The College of Wooster women's basketball team collected its first win in North Coast Athletic Conference play on Wednesday with a 58-54 win over Allegheny College.

Allegheny led by as many as 10 with 2:50 left in the third quarter until Wooster closed the game on a 26-12 run and a 22-10 fourth quarter.

The backcourt was a huge part of Wooster's win as sophomore Harley Holloway led all scorers with 18 points. Senior Masani Francis finished with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists, and first-year Maia Doescher came off the bench to score seven.

Holloway and Francis combined to score 16 of Wooster's 22 fourth quarter points as well.

Elsewhere, Alyssa Chritz tied a season-high with 13 rebounds. She also added seven points.

Jenna Stanton added five points, Krista English scored four and Namara Rwakatare scored the other two.

Doescher started the turnaround for the Scots with four straight points once the Scots were down 10. Francis and Holloway then hit back-to-back 3-pointers near the start of the fourth quarter.

Allegheny answered with a 3-pointer, but Rwakatare was fouled on the other end after making a shot in the paint. She missed her free throw, but Chritz grabbed the board and, on the same possession, sunk a 3-pointer to tie the game at 47.

Wooster trailed 52-49 before Holloway and Francis scored on back-to-back possessions to give Wooster a one-point lead with two minutes remaining. Holloway scored again with 1:23 left as the late 6-0 run was enough to hold off the Gators.

Allegheny had three score in double figures, led by 12 from Emily Lauer.

Wooster shot 34 percent (20-of-59) from the floor, 29 percent (5-of-17) from deep and shot well again from the charity stripe at 77 percent (13-of-17).

Allegheny won the battle of the boards, 41-37, and outscored the Scots in the paint 36-18. However, Allegheny shot just 1-of-10 from beyond the arc, and Wooster scored 17 points off 19 Allegheny turnovers.

Wooster breaks a six-game skid to improve to 2-7 overall and 1-2 in the NCAC. Allegheny falls to 4-7 and 1-2.

Wooster returns home Saturday when they host Hiram College in another NCAC matchup.