Muskies Outlast Wooster, Deny Scots Comeback Opportunity in Overtime

WOOSTER, Ohio – A 33-for-42 performance from the foul line and a double-digit first-period lead proved just enough for Muskingum University, as the Fighting Muskies prevailed 77-71 over The College of Wooster in overtime on Tuesday night at Timken Gymnasium.

Another slow start hindered the Fighting Scots (2-8), who trailed 17-5 at the close of the first period.

Despite the low offensive production, the Scots doubled down on the defensive end to stay within striking distance, limiting the Muskie offense, which featured the Ohio Athletic Conference's leading point scorer in Olivia Besancon, to 4-for-16 shooting, including 3-for-12 from deep.

After Wooster's Akwia Tilton opened the game's scoring 37 seconds in on a fast-break layup, Besancon tallied eight of her game-high 22 points during a 12-0 first-period Muskingum (4-4) run.

The Scots' bench brought them back into contention in the second stanza with sophomores Erica Roberts, Kylie Orr, Courtney Lockhart and Sarah Marion all tallying buckets.

Lockhart had herself a day, posting a career-high 10 points, eight of which came in the second half and overtime, in addition to a career-best 12 boards.

Continuing with the first-half action, a particularly defensive opening 20 minutes for both teams resulted in 17.9 percent shooting for Wooster and 30 percent shooting for Muskingum.

Come the third period, however, Wooster's offense revived, fueled by eight bench points and scoring contributions from eight different Scots.

Down 30-16 at the start of the third, the Scots rallied off a 12-6 run to get back within single digits. Tilton got the ball rolling early on with a layup in transition before sophomore Anna Gibbs answered with her first of three 3-pointers on the day to draw within 11.

After a put-back from Muskingum's Morgan Gossett, Janasko and classmate Jena Copley combined to make it a nine-point game (34-25) midway through the third.

Another jumper from Gossett put the Muskies back up 11 with 4:32 to play. From there, the Scots rattled off a 7-2 run, capped off by a mid-range jumper from Lockhart to bring the deficit to four (38-34) entering the fourth.

Just over a minute into the period, Wooster tallied back-to-back scores with a put-back from first-year Sarah Rapacz and with a fast-break layup from Tilton to tie it at 38.

Both teams managed to answer each other over the course of the next few minutes, drawing level at 45 with 6:19 remaining. From there, the Muskies went off on a 7-0 run thanks to four free-throws and a three-pointer from Alexandra Carson.

Key to holding Wooster's second-half momentum in check was a 13-for-14 showing at the foul line, led by a perfect 6-for-6 showing from Besancon, who entered Tuesday's contest with the 24th-highest free throw shooting percentage in NCAA Div. III (90.7).

Down 58-49 advantage with 2:36 remaining, Wooster, led by six straight points from Gibbs, mounted its most impressive scoring stretch of the game behind an 8-0 run as part of a larger 11-2 stretch.

First, it was Gibbs connecting on an and-one to bring it within six (58-52) with 2:03 remaining. Next, the junior all-NCAC guard hit from deep at the 1:17 mark to pull within three. After that, two made free throws from Tilton brought the Scots within one before Besancon hit two at the line with :38 remaining.

After a home timeout to advance the ball to half court, Orr, who just subbed in, heaved it up from deep and drilled her second 3-pointer of the game to level it at 60-all with :33 left to play.

A shot-clock violation by Muskingum granted Wooster a last-chance opportunity for junior Kyle Croxton, who missed the desperation three as the Scots headed into overtime on a 13-5 run.

In overtime, the Muskies held Wooster scoreless nearly midway through the five-minute period before Orr hit at the foul line to make it a 64-61 game with 2:29 remaining. After two made foul shots from Carson, a 90.9 free-throw shooter, Gibbs responded with her third 3-pointer of the game to cut the deficit to two lead with 1:45 left.

Carson answered right back with her second 3-pointer of the game before eventually extending the lead to seven with :54 left to play.

Down but not out, a three-pointer from Orr and a jumper from Lockhart made it a one-possession game (72-69) before the Muskies went five-for-six down the stretch at the foul line to seal the 77-71 victory.

Tilton ended with a career-high four steals and eight points while Orr finished with a career-best four assists and 10 points. Gibbs totaled a team-high 16 points while Roberts notched two blocks.

Up next, Wooster hosts Eureka College on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 5 p.m.