Charger women pull out last-second thriller over SVSU
December 8, 2007 - Senior Julie Slot put the cap on one of the most exciting women's basketball game in recent memory, 
helping to lead the Hillsdale College women's basketball team to a hard-fought 55-53 win over Saginaw Valley State University Saturday afternoon.
The win improves Hillsdale to 8-0 overall and 2-0 in the GLIAC. This is the best start the Chargers have had since the 2004-05 season, when they won their first 12 games.
Slot put in a layup off a nice pass from junior Katie Cezat with eight seconds left, on what turned out to be the game-winning basket. The Cardinals had one chance to tie or win the game, buttheir final shot bounced harmlessly off the backboard, sending waves of relief and happiness throughout the Hillsdale bench.
The players and coaches had good reason to celebrate this win, as Saginaw Valley employed a zone defense that made it difficult for the Chargers to generate much consistent offense throughout the course of the game. SVSU led by as many as eight points in the contest, and didn't trail until the final two minutes of the game.
Hillsdale made just nine of 35 shots in the first half, and went into the locker room facing a 27-21 deficit. The Cardinal defense was just as tough in the second half, but Hillsdale showed excellent patience and poise, and shot 41 percent in the second half. Providing a boost of scoring in that second half was freshman guard Kara McCormick.
McCormick made all four of her 3-point shots in the second half, and finished with 12 points. She found a rhythm with her outside shot, and made SVSU pay for sitting back in its zone defense with key baskets as Hillsdale closed the gap in the second half.
SVSU's defense also made it tough for Hillsdale to get the ball to Cezat, its leading scorer. But the patience of the Charger guards paid off, as Cezat was able to get more clean looks at the basket in the second half.
Cezat, the GLIAC's leading scorer, finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, including a career-high seven offensive boards.
Freshman forward Laura Barczak made a jump shot in the lane to give the Chargers their first lead of the second half, 45-43, with 6:22 left in the game. McCormick then hit two 3-point baskets in a three-possession span to push the Charger lead to four with 3:41 left.
SVSU's LaTille Ross hit two free throws to tie the game at 53, setting up Slot's game-winning basket.
One positive part of Hillsdale's struggles from the field (22-for-66 for the game) was the way it crashed the boards. The Chargers grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, compared to 10 for SVSU. Junior Claire Aubrey grabbed four offensive rebounds, to go along with four on the defensive end, and five points. Brooke Knight added six points and four steals for Hillsdale.
The Chargers are off until Saturday, Dec. 15, when they head to Northwood University for a GLIAC game against the Timberwolves, starting at 6 p.m. To view the box score from Saturday's game, click on the link below.
Box score
helping to lead the Hillsdale College women's basketball team to a hard-fought 55-53 win over Saginaw Valley State University Saturday afternoon.The win improves Hillsdale to 8-0 overall and 2-0 in the GLIAC. This is the best start the Chargers have had since the 2004-05 season, when they won their first 12 games.
Slot put in a layup off a nice pass from junior Katie Cezat with eight seconds left, on what turned out to be the game-winning basket. The Cardinals had one chance to tie or win the game, buttheir final shot bounced harmlessly off the backboard, sending waves of relief and happiness throughout the Hillsdale bench.
The players and coaches had good reason to celebrate this win, as Saginaw Valley employed a zone defense that made it difficult for the Chargers to generate much consistent offense throughout the course of the game. SVSU led by as many as eight points in the contest, and didn't trail until the final two minutes of the game.
Hillsdale made just nine of 35 shots in the first half, and went into the locker room facing a 27-21 deficit. The Cardinal defense was just as tough in the second half, but Hillsdale showed excellent patience and poise, and shot 41 percent in the second half. Providing a boost of scoring in that second half was freshman guard Kara McCormick.
McCormick made all four of her 3-point shots in the second half, and finished with 12 points. She found a rhythm with her outside shot, and made SVSU pay for sitting back in its zone defense with key baskets as Hillsdale closed the gap in the second half.
SVSU's defense also made it tough for Hillsdale to get the ball to Cezat, its leading scorer. But the patience of the Charger guards paid off, as Cezat was able to get more clean looks at the basket in the second half.
Cezat, the GLIAC's leading scorer, finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, including a career-high seven offensive boards.
Freshman forward Laura Barczak made a jump shot in the lane to give the Chargers their first lead of the second half, 45-43, with 6:22 left in the game. McCormick then hit two 3-point baskets in a three-possession span to push the Charger lead to four with 3:41 left.
SVSU's LaTille Ross hit two free throws to tie the game at 53, setting up Slot's game-winning basket.
One positive part of Hillsdale's struggles from the field (22-for-66 for the game) was the way it crashed the boards. The Chargers grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, compared to 10 for SVSU. Junior Claire Aubrey grabbed four offensive rebounds, to go along with four on the defensive end, and five points. Brooke Knight added six points and four steals for Hillsdale.
The Chargers are off until Saturday, Dec. 15, when they head to Northwood University for a GLIAC game against the Timberwolves, starting at 6 p.m. To view the box score from Saturday's game, click on the link below.
Box score
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