WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The #20 Indiana Wesleyan University women’s basketball team outlasted the #RV Foresters 67-64 Saturday afternoon at Luckey Arena. For IWU, it was their second W over HU this year with the first, a 60-59 decision, back on December 2.

The Wildcats are 19-7 overall, 11-3 in league play good for second place in the standings while Huntington is now 15-10 overall, 8-6 in league play for a share of the No. 4 spot in the standings with four regular season games to go.

Culler’s crew proved once again that they might be down, but never out. Facing their largest deficit of the game, 56-43, early in the fourth quarter, HU not only got back in it but had the ball with 25 ticks remaining and a chance to win it. Sarah Fryman and Hailey Krewald inspired the comeback as the duo combined to score 15 of their team’s 23 points in the quarter to dwindle the lead down to a single point at 65-64 inside of 30 seconds after a pair of missed freebies by the hosts.

Unfortunately, in the process of setting up for the last shot, Huntington coughed up the ball, compliments of IWU’ tough-nosed defense, for the 20th time turning the ball back over to the hosts with four seconds remaining. The rest, as the saying goes, was history, as HU was forced to foul and the Wildcats made good on both attempts to make for the three-point final as Fryman’s desperation three was well short.

The first half was lackluster for the visitors as they managed just 19 points to dig themselves into a ten-point hole by the midway point. A chance to regroup in the locker room was just what Culler and crew needed as they more than doubled their score by the end of the third and then carried that momentum into the fourth before being short-changed in their comeback.

Krewald, typically known for making big plays defensively, came up with big play after big play at the other end of the floor in the third to keep her team within striking distance. The 5-7 guard buried all three of her long balls and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the line to account for 13 of her 20 points during the ten-minute span.

Fryman also finished with 20 points to go along with a season-tying nine rebounds. Sam Hammel added 12 points, dished out two assists and swiped two steals.

The Foresters outshot IWU, connecting on 47.8 percent of attempts (22-for-46) while limiting their hosts to 42.1 percent (24-for-57). But the difference came down to turnovers and offensive rebounding. Wesleyan finished with 11 miscues to Huntington’s 20 and while HU won the battle of the boards, 35-28, IWU outscored the Foresters 15-7 on second chance points.

Elaina Ededuwa came off the bench to top IWU with 16 points and seven rebounds. Anna Imhoff collected 15 points and four assists while Brittany Washington added 12 points.

The Foresters are back at Platt Arena on Wednesday to host #RV Saint Francis at 7:00 p.m.