Oilers Mount Comeback, Defeat Hillsdale 66-63
The University of Findlay women's basketball team claimed at least a share of their second straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division title and the right to host a first round tournament game with a 66-63 win over Hillsdale College on Thursday, February 24 in Croy Gymnasium. The victory gives the Oilers a 17-8 record on the season with a 12-6 mark in the league.
Down 17 points at 43-26 with 19 minutes remaining in the game, the Oilers turned up the intensity on both ends of the floor and went on a 9-0 run to make the score 43-35 with 16:26 left. The two teams then traded baskets for awhile before the Oilers had another short burst, this time a 7-0 run, to make the score 51-49 with 7:14 showing on the clock.
The Chargers then came up with a run of their own to make the score 56-49 with just over five minutes to play, but the Oilers battled back and tied the game at 58-58 on a couple of free throws from sophomore forward Kayla Brown.
Tied at 58-58 with 3:08 to play, the Oilers took their first lead since the first minute of the game at 60-58 when sophomore guard Kendra Elam splashed two shots from the charity stripe. A lay-up by Brown then gave the Oilers a four-point advantage at 62-58 with 2:12 remaining, but the Chargers scored the next five points to take a 63-62 lead.
Trailing by one point with under 20 seconds to play, Brown scored on a lefty lay-up to five Findlay a 64-63 advantage. The Chargers then turned the ball over and fouled junior guard Clare Aubry, who made both free throws with nine seconds to play. Needing a stop on the defensive end, the Oilers forced Hillsdale into a tough three point attempt that bounced off the rim and gave Findlay the victory.
The Oilers shot 45.8 percent (22-of-48) from the field and canned 17-of-20 (85%) shots from the free throw line. They also hit 5-of-11 (45.5%) three point attempts and registered 12 steals in the win.
Brown led the way with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting. She also tallied five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Aubry netted 17 points, hitting 4-of-9 three pointers, while junior guard Laura Bardall contributed 15 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Chelsea Harrison led the Chargers with 16 points while Laura Barczak had 15 points and ten rebounds.
The Oilers will be back in action again on Saturday when they host Lake Superior State University at 3 pm.