HAMILTON – Colgate women's basketball fell in overtime to their first Patriot League opponent, as the Loyola Greyhounds overcame the Raiders 61-56 at Cotterell Court.
Loyola's second-half scoring surge of 30 points forced a fifth period that allowed the Greyhounds to end up on top in overtime.
The game opened with each team scoring six points.
Taylor Golembiewski,
Tiasia McMillan, and
Jenna Paul scored Colgate's six points.
Sophia Diehl started a run for the Raiders, which Golembiewski furthered with a steal that allowed
Nicole Parks to bring Colgate's lead to 10-6.
Loyola broke up Colgate's run with a field goal, but
Morgan McMahon answered with a three-pointer. The Greyhounds went on a 5-0 run to tie the game at 13 points to end the first 10 minutes of play.
Alexa Brodie opened the second period with a 5-2 run, including a three-point play, to get Colgate the lead back at 18-15. The Greyhounds then took a trip to the foul line, but luckily for the Raiders, they missed the free points. Diehl then took a trip to the charity stripe, making both baskets to bump Colgate's lead to five points. Loyola answered with back-to-back jumpers to cut their deficit to one point.
The Raiders ended the first half with a 6-0 run to lead 26-19. McMillan, Brodie, and Paul were responsible for the points in the run. Brodie scored 7-of-13 Raider second-period points.
Loyola opened the second half with four unchallenged points to cut Colgate's lead to three points. Paul broke up the Greyhounds' run with a three-pointer, but Loyola pushed, going on a 5-0 run to trail 29-28.
Feeling the pressure from the Greyhounds, Colgate went on an 8-2 run to lead 37-30. Six points in the run came from three-point field goals from Diehl and Paul. Loyola, not feeling threatened, scored three unanswered points quickly to trail by four points.
Both teams then scored back-to-back field goals before Paul scored her third three-point field goal of the period to lift the Raiders to 42-35. With less than a minute in the third, the Greyhounds went on a 5-0 run to trail by two points. Brodie ended the period at the foul line, scoring a point to bump Colgate's lead to 43-40.
Loyola opened the final period of regulation with a layup, but an offensive rebound from freshman
Christina Midgette allowed Diehl to score a layup for the Raiders. The Greyhounds responded with a 4-0 run that allowed them to take the lead at 46-45 for the first time in the second half. Diehl scored another basket, getting the lead back for Colgate, then McMillan scored to bring the Raiders' lead to 49-46.
The Greyhounds then took a trip to the stripe, scoring a point to trail by two. Loyola then scored a field goal to tie the game at 49. McMillan broke the tie, but Loyola responded fast, tying the game again at 51 to force overtime.
The Greyhounds opened overtime with a 4-0 run to lead 55-51. McMillan broke up the run, but a foul on Colgate brought Loyola to the line to score two points to extend their lead to four points with less than a minute and a half left. Loyola scored another unanswered basket to lead 59-53 with 40 seconds remaining.
Brodie broke up the Raiders' scoring lull with a three-pointer to trim Colgate's deficit to three points with less than 20 seconds left of overtime. Unfortunately for Colgate, a foul on the Raiders brought Loyola to the charity stripe to score two points to end overtime.
NOTES
- Four Raiders scored in double figures, as Paul and Brodie scored 13 points each, followed by McMillan with 12 and Diehl with 11.
- Golembiewski tied her career-high in assists after helping seven baskets today.
- Both teams scored 26 points in the paint.
- McMillan captured a team and season-high seven rebounds.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Women's Basketball Coach Ganiyat Adeduntan
"It's definitely a battle. We threw some punches, and they threw theirs. They threw a couple more there at the end that we weren't able to sustain. You have to be able to make shots in the game, and we weren't able to.
"It was great to see multiple players be able to score for us. Scoring is going to be important for us as we move forward in the league.
"It's a quick turnaround for Monday's game, but that's the league. We need to get back, refocus, clean some things up, and be ready to execute when it is needed."
UP NEXT
Colgate (6-6) stays in Hamilton to host Lehigh on Monday, Jan. 2. Tip-off against the Mountain Hawks is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Cotterell Court.
