Box score

February 24, 2011 – The Hillsdale College women’s basketball team missed out on a chance to take over first place in the GLIAC South Division Thursday night, thanks to a 66-63 loss to the University of Findlay at the Croy Gymnasium.

The Chargers fall to 16-8 overall and 10-8 in the GLIAC with the loss. Hillsdale will wrap up the 2010-11 regular season Saturday afternoon at Wayne State University, in a 4:00 contest. The Chargers have already clinched a spot in the 2011 GLIAC Women’s Basketball Tournament, and a win Saturday against the Warriors will improve the team’s position for next week’s first-round game.

The Chargers played a terrific first half, taking a 40-26 lead into intermission. The lead grew to as big as 17 points in the opening moments of the half before the Oilers upped their intensity and execution at both ends of the court. Findlay started converting turnovers into made baskets, and strung together a couple of long scoring runs that forced the game to be decided in the final 20 seconds.

Findlay held Hillsdale to four points in a seven minute stretch, during which the game was closed to a two-point margin, 51-49, with 7:12 left in the game. Senior forward Laura Barczak answered with back-to-back buckets that gave Hillsdale a five-point lead. But the Oilers later went on a 10-0 run, turning a 58-52 Chargers lead into a 62-58 Oilers’ edge with around two minutes to go.

Junior guard Chelsea Harrison then hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key, for her first points of the second half, slicing the lead to one. Freshman Angela Bisaro briefly gave the Chargers a one-point lead with a twisting, lefthanded layup with 30 seconds left to give the Chargers a 63-62 lead. But the Oilers made a basket and two free throws in their final two possessions, while forcing a Hillsdale turnover inbetween to seal up the win.

The Oilers were 17-for-20 from the free throw line in the game, while the Chargers were only awarded four free throws in the entire second half. Findlay also cut down on its turnovers in the second half, committing just four after turning the ball over 12 times in the first half. On the other side, Hillsdale committed 17 turnovers in the game.

Harrison led the Chargers with 16 points, swishing three 3-point field goals in the game. She also had six assists and two steals in 38 minutes on the floor. Barczak totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds, her second straight double-double and sixth of the season. Freshman Marissa DeMott came off the bench to score 12 points for the Chargers.