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Press Release

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GREENCASTLE, Ind. — Junior Halsey Ward drained a three-pointer with eights seconds left to lift the Washington University in St. Louis women’s basketball team to a 73-72 win over Wilmington College (Ohio) in the first round of the 2008 Division III NCAA Championship at the Neal Fieldhouse in , on Friday evening. With the win Washington U., which is making its 19th-straight postseason appearance, improves to 15-5 all-time in opening round games.

“We got a huge spark off the bench with Halsey Ward’s long-range shooting, and Janice Evans was huge for us on the inside,” Washington U. head coach Nancy Fahey said. “This time of year, it can come down to one possession to win the game and our team had the composure to come back and get it done.”

Washington U. led by as many as nine points in the first half before Katie Streck and the Quakers came back to go into the half with the score knotted at 35.

Back-to-back baskets from sophomore Janice Evans put the Red and Green in front, 20-11, with 11:16 left to play in the first. However, Wilmington responded with an 8-2 run to pull within three points at 22-19, with Streck scoring all eight of the Quakers’ points.

The Bears managed to extend their lead to five points with a free throw from freshman Kathryn Berger at the 7:18 mark, but WU netted just three field goals for the remainder of the first period as Wilmington chipped away at its deficit.

Washington U. did lead by five points, 35-30, heading into the final minute of the first half, but Streck scored five-unanswered points in the final 49 seconds to quickly erase the Bear lead. She ended the half with a game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Evans led Washington U. with 12 points and the Bears shot 43.8 percent from the floor through 20 minutes of action.

The Quaker run continued after halftime, as Wilmington scored the first eight points of the second period to take a 43-35 lead. Wilmington sustained its success as it took the largest lead of the game, 54-42, on a three-pointer from Jackie Hauke with 12:39 on the clock.

But down by 12 points, the Red and Green caught fire from outside and used a 21-7 scoring run to jump in front, 63-61. It was a triple from Ward, her first basket of the game, which gave the Bears’ their first lead of the second half. Gina Hyle scored six-straight points for Wilmington to put her team in the lead, 67-63, but a Evans was fouled as she sank a lay-up with 4:59 remaining and converted the free throw to make the score 67-66, Wilmington.

Trailing by three points, 71-68, sophomore Zoë Unruh hit a jumper to bring the Bears within one point. Allie Meranda was fouled by Evans with 33 seconds to play, but made only one of two free-throws to leave Washington U. down by just two points, and Ward hit the game-winning three on the ensuing WU possession.

Evans finished the game with a career-high 22 points, Unruh scored 14, and Ward finished with 12, all coming in the second half. Long-range shooting made the difference for the Red and Green, who finished the game 10-of-18 from long-distance. The 10-made three-pointers were a new season best for the Bears, and Ward’s four threes tied her career-high. Hyle led all scorers with 24 points, and Washington U. shut down Streck in the second half, holding her to zero points on 0-of-3 shooting.

The Bears (19-7) will return to action on Saturday, March 8, when they will face the winner of Friday’s other regional semifinal game between host DePauw University and Denison University. Saturday’s tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ET), in the Neal Fieldhouse.

Press release submitted by Washington U. on Mar 07 2008 at 07:35 PM

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