From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
A pair of free throws by Case Western Reserve University junior forward Kara Hageman with 1:13 left in overtime proved to be the difference on Saturday, as the Spartans topped the Oberlin College Yeowomen 74-73 in Horsburgh Gymnasium.
Hageman, senior guard Jess McCoy and sophomore forward Hillary Hellmanncombined for 63 of the Spartans' 74 points in the game, as the team went to overtime for the second-straight contest. Case Western Reserve has now won three of its last four games to improve to 3-2 overall, while Oberlin dropped to 1-3 for the campaign.
Hellmann led all CWRU players in the game with a season-high 23 points, and Hageman scored 21, while adding six rebounds, two blocks and three steals. McCoy recorded her first double-double of the season and third of her career, finishing Saturday's contest with 19 points, 11 rebounds and a team-high four assists.
The Spartans trailed early on Saturday, falling behind by as many as six in the first quarter, and ending the initial period down by five points, 23-18. However, Case Western Reserve opened the second quarter on a 9-0, taking a 27-23 lead with 6:51 to play in the half on a layup by McCoy. The Spartans led by as many as six in the period, taking their largest lead of the game, 35-29, on an and-one by freshman guard Kendall McConico with 3:31 left in the second, but Oberlin would pull even by halftime, tying the game at 39-39 on a pair of free throws by Tyler Parlor with time waning in the half.
In the third period, the Spartans would see their lead balloon back to five after a layup by Hageman with 3:53 remaining put the team up 50-45, but in a period that featured three ties and five lead changes, Oberlin would ultimately carry a 55-54 lead into the fourth quarter.
The game remained close for the remainder of regulation, with Oberlin taking its largest lead of the half on an Alex Stipano three pointer with 5:50 remaining, extending the Yeowomen's advantage to 65-60. The Spartans would score the next six points unanswered, including a layup from McCoy and four points from Hellmann, to take a 66-65 lead with 2:21 left. The two teams exchanged baskets over the next minute, before a free throw by Tyler Parlor tied the game at 68-68 with 1:04 left. Each team would have a chance to take the lead in the final minute, but neither squad could convert a go-ahead basket, sending the game into overtime.
A three-pointer by Hellmann on the Spartans' first possession of overtime gave CWRU its largest lead of the extra period, but the teams would continue to battle back-and forth, with Oberlin taking a one-point lead, 73-72, on a free throw by Olivia Canning with 1:53 remaining. Case Western Reserve missed a pair of shots on the next possession, but McCoy and McConico each collected key offensive rebounds to maintain possession, before Hageman drew a foul and knocked down both free throw attempts to give CWRU a one-point lead. Sophomore guard Alexis Amburgey then forced a jump ball on Oberlin's next time down court, giving CWRU possession back. The Spartans missed a shot with 31 seconds remaining, but a last second-shot by the Yeowomen's Ally Driscoll fell short, giving CWRU the victory.
Case Western Reserve forced 20 Oberlin turnovers in the game, and outscored the Yeowomen 29-9 in points off turnovers.
With her 21-point effort, Hageman has now scored at least 20 points in each of the team's last four games, and is averaging a team-best 21.8 points per game for the year. Hellmann has scored at least 20 in her last three games, and has averaged 20.0 for the campaign.
Olivia Canning led all Oberlin players with 21 points, 16 rebounds and eight blocks, while Tyler Parlor came a rebound away from a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds and ten assists.