(box score)
Sophomore Kate Dellinger (Wrightsville, PA) dropped a career high 23 points, including the game-tying bucket with 7.4 seconds left in regulation, lifting Widener to an 83-77 Commonwealth Conference overtime victory over Messiah at Schwartz Center.
The first half featured four ties and eight lead changes, with Widener taking the largest lead of the period, 7-2, just 1:16 into the contest. Messiah managed to take its largest lead of the half at 30-26 with 3:31 left and led 36-34 at the break.
Both offenses were very efficient in the first stanza, with Messiah knocking down 12-of-24 from the field and Widener shooting 48 percent (12-of-25) that included 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. Widener freshman Jennifer Egee (Ridley Park, PA) went 3-of-3 from downtown in the half. The visitors outscored Widener 16-4 in the paint, and 10-2 in second chance scoring in the period.
Messiah scored the first four of the second half, and opened up its largest lead of the contest, 52-42 with 12:20 to play, following an 8-2 surge. But Widener got right back into the game, scoring the next eight points over the span of a minute and half, and completing a 13-2 run to take a 55-54 lead with 8:13 left, following three free throws from freshman Alyssa Wiggins (Swedesboro, NJ).
The Falcons (4-3, 1-1 CC) built their lead to five with just over four minutes left, and held a 65-60 edge with 2:42 to play.
Following a Widener timeout, Dellinger buried a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to two, and just under a minute later, Egee completed an old-fashioned 3-point play to put Widener ahead, 66-65 with 1:30 to go.
On the next possession, Dori Gyori, who finished with a game-high 24 points, hit a lay-up to put Messiah back in front. After two missed jumpers by Widener, Taylor Miller hit the front end of a one-and-one to make it 68-66 Messiah with 33 seconds left. Sophomore Lil Carney (Narberth, PA) hauled in the rebound following a miss on the second free throw, setting the stage for Dellinger's heroics in her first game back in the lineup after recovering from injury.
Messiah shot 61 percent (11-of-18) from the field in the second half, but only attempted half as many field goals as Widener, which shot 13-of-36. The Pride (7-1, 2-0 CC) scored all 10 second-chance points in the period.
Widener never trailed in overtime, scoring the first five points en route to its fifth straight win. Messiah cut the lead to 75-73 with 1:29 left, but was unable to get any closer.
Free throw shooting was a key difference in the game. Widener shot 89 percent (23-for-26) from the line by hitting all six in the second half. Messiah made just 67 percent (24-for-36) and only 56 percent (9-for-16) in the second half.
Dellinger finished 9-of-19 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Egee and Wiggins closed with 14 points each, shooting a combined 8-of-13 from the floor, 6-of-9 from 3-point range and making all six of their free throws. Carney finished with 10 points and nine assists, and sophomore Vanessa Hejnas (Delran, NJ) pulled down 12 rebounds for the second straight game that included five off the offensive glass.
Gyori shot 10-of-14 from the field, and finished with eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks for Messiah. Michele Schleich chipped in 16 points and five assists.
Widener on Wednesday hosts Penn State Brandywine in non-conference action, beginning at 7:00 pm.
