HAMILTON, N.Y. (11/14/2006)—Colgate University sophomore Gretchen Polinski (Mansfield, Ohio) registered her first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Raiders to a 62-57 overtime victory over Canisius College in women’s basketball action this evening. Polinski hit three free throws in the final 12 seconds of overtime to ice the victory for Colgate.

 

This is the fourth overtime game the two squads have played in the teams’ 32-game history, the most of any Colgate opponent. Colgate evens its overall record to 1-1 with the win, while the Golden Griffins fall to 1-1 on the season.

 

With the game tied at 48 points with 3:18 remaining in regulation, junior Caitlin Gillard (Vestal, N.Y.) got an old fashioned three-point play, knocking down a layup and the ensuing foul shot to put the Raiders up 51-48 with 2:43 left in the second half.

 

Gillard finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, just missing her second consecutive double-double. 

 

Canisius responded with a pair of free throws to pull to within one, 51-50, at the 2:16 mark and hit the back end of a pair to make it 51-51 with 1:46 left to play. Both teams had their chances to go ahead in the closing minute, but were unable to connect, sending the game into overtime.

 

Colgate won the tip and got a jumper from junior Melanie Cargle (Trotwood, Ohio) for a 53-51 advantage to start the extra frame. Canisius responded right away with a three-pointer from Amanda Cavo to go back in front by, 54-53. The two squads traded two-point baskets on their respective possessions before Cargle connected on a pair of shots from the free throw line for the 57-56 lead.

 

The Golden Griffins’ Megan Lyte hit a free throw to tie the game at 57 with 1:35 left in the extra session, but that was as close as they could get as a Cargle jumper found the bottom of the net again for a 59-57 lead with 1:11 left in the overtime.

 

Cargle finished with 16 points, including six in the overtime session, and pulled down four rebounds.

 

Canisius missed a three-pointer on the next possession and fouled Polinski to send her to the line to shoot two. She sealed the victory, hitting both and making it a two possession game with 11.7 seconds on the clock and added one more for good measure with five seconds left to play.

 

Lyte led the Golden Griffins with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Abby Radunske added 12 points. Cavo and JJ Williams both dropped in 10 points apiece and Laura Granzow grabbed a team-best 10 boards.

 

Colgate held Canisius to just 33.3 percent from the floor, including 11.5 percent from three point range. The Griffins were just 3-of-26 from behind the arc. The Raiders shot 37.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from long range. Colgate won the battle on the glass 52-44.

 

Colgate will take one day off before traveling to take on No. 7 Connecticut on Nov. 16. The game versus the Huskies is set for 7:30 p.m., at Gampel Pavilion.