The College of Wooster women's basketball team erased a nine-point second half deficit to take a 49-48 lead with 2:31 remaining in the game, but four costly turnovers down the stretch allowed Trine University to notch a 52-50 win Saturday at Angola, Ind. in the Fighting Scots final non-conference game of the regular season.
The Thunder (6-6) led the Scots (3-8) by five points with just over six minutes to go in the contest when Kym Wenz converted back-to-back free throw attempts to cut the deficit to 42-45. Trine then connected on one shot from the charity stripe, but Colleen Goodwillie's second 3-pointer of the game drew Wooster within one, and another Wenz free throw make tied the game at 46-46.
Taylor Keegan knocked down a 3-pointer following a basket by Trine's Danielle Senf that gave Wooster its first lead of the game (49-48), and Wenz pushed the lead to 50-48 following a 1-of-2 effort at the foul line. From there Wooster turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions, allowing Liz Gehrig to tie the game with a jumper, and Kelly Costello to drain consecutive free throw shots and give the Thunder a two-point lead (52-50).
With five seconds remaining in the game, Kaitlin Krister was tied up after receiving an inbound pass awarding Trine the ball. Wooster immediately fouled Trine on its ensuing possesion, and Trine received two foul shots. After the first free throw attempt missed, Trine missed the second as well allowing Goodwillie to rebound the ball and heave a desperation half court shot at the buzzer that fell short.
Wenz, who scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting, recorded her third-straight game with 20 or more points. She also added team-bests in rebounds (7) and steals (3) while connecting on 5-of-5 shots from the free throw line and three 3-pointers.
It was all Trine in the early goings as the Thunder raced out to a 12-4 lead, but Wooster battled back to tie the game at 12 behind eight-straight points by Wenz, which included two 3-pointers. Wooster then went cold which allowed Trine to go on its own 8-0 run over the next two minutes putting the Scots behind 12-20. Kristen Schwartz provided the Scots with their only points over the remaining 7:37, connecting on three baskets in the paint, but Wooster trailed by seven (18-25) at the break.
Kristen Julian gave Trine its biggest lead when she scored on a lay up with 16:26 remaining in the game that gave the Thunder a nine-point advantage. Keegan responded with a basket on the other end, and Wenz knocked down a jumper and a 3-ball over a 37-second span that brought Wooster within 25-30. The Scots earned their first tie of the game at 33-33 when Goodwillie connected from behind the arc which wrapped up a 15-8 Wooster run to open the second period.
Schwartz recorded season-highs in points (8) and minutes (19) while also chipping in two boards and a block, and Keegan added seven points and three rebounds. The Scots shots 41.5 percent in the game compared to Trine's 33.3 percent, but struggled in the paint where they were outrebounded (26-37) and outscored (14-32).
Wooster will head back home to host Ohio Wesleyan University (7-4, 2-0 NCAC) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the first of 14-consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference games to close out the regular season.