#18 DeSales Falls to #6 Scranton, 68-63, in OT Thriller

Four players scored in double digits and the #18 DeSales University women's basketball team nearly forced a second OT before ultimately falling to #6 The University of Scranton, 68-63, in overtime in a game that felt like March Madness played in December on Tuesday evening in Billera Hall. This game was a heavyweight battle from the very beginning between two of the best 20 teams in the entire country that lived up to the pre-game hype. After Scranton scored the first four points of the game, DeSales countered with a 12-2 run to take a 12-6 lead seven minutes into the game. The Lady Royals finished the first quarter scoring eight of the final nine points to grab a 14-13 lead. The second quarter went back-and-forth the entire way as the Bulldogs played the last 7:34 without senior Mikaela Reese in foul trouble but rallied to take a 28-26 lead into the halftime locker room. Tied at 36 late in the third quarter UofS used an 8-1 run to take a 44-37 lead on the strength of two 3's from first-year Meghan Lamanna and led by five after three quarters of play. DSU fought back over the first five minutes to tie the game at 47 with 5:08 remaining but the Lady Royals scored seven of the next nine points, mostly from the charity stripe to claim a 54-49 edge with 1:57 to go. A lay-up from senior Megan Bealer (5'9''-G/F) cut the margin down to three on the next possession and the Bulldog defense forced a shot clock violation. Bealer once again drove the lane and was fouled but was only able to hit 1-of-2 from the stripe making it a two-point game with 46 ticks left. Reese got a steal on the other end and DSU called timeout with 11 seconds left down two. Out of the timeout a pass inside to Bealer was knocked around but caromed straight to Reese who hit an 8-footer with 2 seconds left to eventually force OT after a last second three from Scranton hit the side of the backboard. Scranton scored the first seven points of overtime and seemed well on its way to the win, however the Bulldogs showed no quit. Sophomore Mikaili Donmoyer hit three free throws with 1:17 to go to make it a four-point game. The Lady Royals countered with two free throws on the other end to give UofS a 63-57 lead with 46.2 seconds left. Out of a timeout, senior Lindsey Welsh nailed a three-pointer to get the Bulldogs within three and Lamanna missed two free throws on the other end with 35 seconds left. DeSales came down and worked the ball around to Donmoyer who hit nothing but net on a top of the key three-pointer with 25 seconds left to tie the game. Scranton didn't call timeout and Kaci Kranson (5'11''-G) cut back door for an "and 1" lay-up, converting the free throw to push the lead back to three points and the Bulldogs were out of comebacks as a turnover led to two free throws for the Royals and the five point win in an incredible basketball game.
Courtesy of: d3hoops.com