Scots Win Behind Career-High from Riccitelli

Led by a career-high 29 points from first-year Mackenzie Riccitelli, The College of Wooster women's basketball team defeated Heidelberg University 73-64 to wrap up its non-conference schedule on Monday.

Riccitelli upped her prior high from 27 points, which she scored in early December, and continued her streak of scoring in double figures in every game so far this season.

The first-year shot 11 of 21 on Monday, going 6 of 9 from the foul line and adding four assists and three steals.

Junior Ella Dean followed with 14 points on 4 of 8 shooting. First-year Emily Webb was close to a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds.

The number seven stayed with sophomore Ace Sturdivant, who finished with seven points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Finally, junior Ella Biondi scored six points and added four blocks.

Heidelberg (1-10) was led by 15 points from Chloe Gilbert and 14 points from Wooster native Jewel Persinger. Morgan Altenbuger finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Wooster (3-10) played one of its more complete games, winning each quarter and slowly increasing its lead as the game wore on.

Wooster had its biggest lead of 11 midway through the third which came off the heels of its best run at 12-0.

Wooster held a 34-30 first half lead and kept Heidelberg from scoring in the first half of the third quarter. The Scots went to Biondi early in that stretch, who scored Wooster's first two buckets of the quarter and Wooster would eventually lead 41-30.

Later in the quarter, Erica Beaty had an important 3-pointer as Heidelberg fought back to trail by just six. 

Heidelberg would take the lead in the fourth but only briefly. Riccitelli led the way for Wooster with eight points in the quarter, including the bucket to net the score at 55. Biondi scored another crucial basket with two minutes remaining, and Wooster got it done at the foul line, going 12 of 16 in the fourth.

For the game, Wooster shot 45 percent (26 of 58) to Heidelberg's 34 percent (24 of 70). Wooster shot just 63 percent (17 of 27) from the foul line, but Heidelberg shot just 54 percent (14 of 26).

Heidelberg scored 29 bench points to Wooster's nine, but the Scots scored 20 points off turnovers, while Heidelberg had just 14.

Happy to get a win under them, Wooster will next focus on North Coast Athletic Conference play when they travel to Denison University on Saturday.