Scots Fall in Home Finale Despite Strong Fourth Quarter

The College of Wooster women's basketball team played its final home game of the year on Wednesday in a 76-63 defeat to Ohio Wesleyan University.

Senior Masani Francis scored a team-high 14 points. Senior Krista English scored 11 off the bench, and sophomore Harley Holloway added 10 points.

First-year Tamara Turner finished with eight points and five rebounds, and sophomore Melissa Burtscher chipped in eight points on 3-of-4 shooting.

Cierra Joiner led Ohio Wesleyan with a game-high 20 points and 12 rebounds for the double-double. Kasey Schipfer and Lauren Denison each added 18 for the Battling Bishops.

The Scots played a spirited fourth quarter to bring what was once a 26-point deficit to just 13. They made an 11-0 run in the fourth which started with a 3-pointer from Burtscher. It spanned for a little over three minutes before Ohio Wesleyan was forced to put its starters back on the court.

The Battling Bishops opened the game with a 10-0 run before Francis gave Wooster its first bucket four minutes into the game. To Wooster's credit, they were able to bring the game to within five by the end of the period, trailing 19-14.

Ohio Wesleyan expanded its lead to 45-31 at halftime. English saw her first minutes late in the second quarter and contributed seven points on 3-of-3 shooting in that span.

The Bishops won the third quarter 18-11.

Wooster shot 38 percent (24-for-63) from the floor. They went 23 percent (5-of-22) from range and shot an impressive 91 percent (10-of-11) from the charity stripe.

Ohio Wesleyan finished at 44 percent (30-of-68) from the floor and 31 percent (7-of-23) from deep. They almost matched Wooster at the foul line at 82 percent (9-of-11).

Ohio Wesleyan won the battle of the boards 43-33. Wooster's bench contributed 31 points to Ohio Wesleyan's 12.

Ohio Wesleyan moves to 19-5 overall and 12-3 in the NCAC. Wooster falls to 4-20 overall and 3-12 in conference play.

The Scots will wrap up the regular season on Saturday with a trip to Oberlin College.