Solid Shooting Performance, Late First-Half 3-Pointers Spark Wooster in Win at Hiram

Senior Lauren Hancher continued to climb in the record book, and the Fighting Scots' guards hit a pair of timely 3-pointers late in the first half to stake The College of Wooster women's basketball team to a four-point halftime lead, as Wooster used a strong shooting night to bounce back into the win column with a 65-50 victory over host Hiram College on Wednesday evening inside the Price Gymnasium at Hiram, Ohio.

Hancher, who scored a game-high 32 points, surpassed Carly Loehrke (1,338 points from 2003-07) for third on Wooster's (6-16, 2-11 North Coast Athletic Conference) all-time scoring list with her layup with 8:25 remaining in the third period that put the Scots in front 33-27. The basket started a 6-0 run for Wooster that pushed the Scots' lead into double digits for the first time.

Earlier in the contest, Hancher surpassed W Association Hall of Famer, and current coach, Lisa Panepento (551 field goals from 1983-87) for second on the all-time field goal makes list with a jumper at the 7:31 mark of the second period.

Sydney Grier connected on the more noteworthy of the two late first-half 3-pointers as the senior knocked down her 125th career trifecta with 1:16 left in the first half, giving Wooster the lead for good at 28-25. With the make, Grier moved into sole possession of fifth-place on the College's career 3-point list.

Two possessions later, first-year Anna Gibbs hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, giving Wooster the 31-27 halftime advantage.

Wooster had a strong start to the contest, backed by eight points from Hancher and a 3-pointer from junior Rachel Collins that opened up an 11-9 edge for the Scots just past the halfway point of the opening stanza. The Terriers (11-12, 5-9 NCAC) answered back with four straight to close out the period with a 13-11 lead.

The Scots re-took the lead at 23-22 with 3:19 left in the second period via a deep jumper from first-year Shar Hankerson. Gibbs pushed the lead to three at 25-22 two possessions later.

Hancher twice extended Wooster's advantage to 13 in the fourth period, first by opening the frame with six straight points to make it a 50-37 game, and later with a 4-0 swing to make it 56-43. She added a layup with 1:51 remaining to extend the lead back to double figures after a 5-0 run by Hiram make it a 58-50.

First-year Christina Vukovich's production off of the bench was another key in the Scots' win. The forward went 4-for-5 from the floor to finish with eight points, while filling up the stat sheet with seven rebounds. Also of note Gibbs added with nine points and seven rebounds, equaling her total in the rebounding department from the first meeting between these two teams.

Of note, Wooster shot .455 (25-of-55) from the field, the second-highest shooting percentage of the season.

Mercedes Jones led Hiram with 16 points.

Next, Wooster returns home to close out the regular-season with three straight contests at Timken Gymnasium, beginning with a 2 p.m. tilt against archrival Wittenberg University (6-14, 5-8 NCAC). Fans are encourage to wear black attire to Saturday's basketball games as part of the "Black Out" theme.