Trish Gardner late hoop lifts Greyhound women's basketball past Saint Michael's in Northeast-10 Conference thriller

January 29, 2009

Assumption 71, Saint Michael's 70

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Senior guard/captain TRISH GARDNER (North Dartmouth, MA/Dartmouth) hit a wing jumper with two seconds left in overtime as Assumption College defeated Saint Michael's College, 71-70, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action THURSDAY night in the Laska Gym.

Gardner, who scored a season-best 15 points (seven-for-eight floor accuracy) with six assists and two steals, also connected on a driving layup with 34 seconds left in regulation to send the game into the overtime period.

Junior forward KAYLA PARKER (Sanford, ME/Sanford) (16 points on six-for-seven floor accuracy), senior guard/captain BETHANY PLASSKI (Fall River, MA/Durfee) (14 points, five assists, two steals), sophomore forward MOLLY GRIFFITHS (Walpole, MA/Ursuline Academy) (11 points) and freshman forward KELLY MEREDITH (Franklin, MA/Franklin) (10 points) played well in support roles for the Greyhounds.

Sophomore guard MANDY SCOTT (Vergennes, VT/Vergennes Union) (16 points including four three-pointers), junior guard/captain MEG O'SHEA (West Sand Lake, NY/Averill Park) (15 points including four three pointers), sophomore forward LOGAN PINTKA (Niskayuna, NY/Colonie Central) (13 points) and junior guard ALEXIS KELLER (Harrington Park, NJ/Old Tappan) (10 points) all reached double-figures for the Purple Knights.

The Greyhounds shot a blistering .615 from the floor in the first half, making 16-of-26 attempts to move to a 35-31 advantage at the break. Plasski, Griffiths and Gardner each had seven points.

A lane jumper by Plasski with 2:59 left in the half gave the Greyhounds their largest lead of the period, nine points, at 31-22. Two free throws by senior center ANNA FLORENT (Fort Wayne, IN/Snider) and a jumper with 19 seconds left by freshman guard COREEN HENNESSY (Chatham, NH/Fryeburg Academy) made its a four-point game at the half.

Three-pointers by the Purple Knights' Keller and O'Shea sandwiched around a Parker layup for the Greyhounds tied the game at 37-37 with 17:48 remaining.

O'Shea finally rallied the Purple Knights into the lead, 57-55, with 5:07 left on an inside move. Parker made a conventional three-point play before Scott put Saint Michael's back in front, 60-58, on a three-pointer with 3:57 left.

Junior guard LESLIE LUPIEN (Pomfret Center, CT/Woodstock Academy) made one of two free throws before Pintka converted inside for a 62-59 Purple Knight advantage with 3:08 left. Lupien then made two free throws to cut the gap to one before Pintka made one-of-two at the other end to give Saint Michael's a two-point lead, 63-61, with 1:40 left setting the stage for the first Gardner heroic.

A steal by Gardner with 20 seconds left gave the Greyhounds one more hurried opportunity, but Lupien's jumper rimmed out at the buzzer.

Two free throws by Keller and a three-pointer by Scott put Saint Michael's in command 68-63 to start the overtime. However Griffiths answered for the Greyhounds with two free throws and a lane jumper (on a feed from Gardner) to cut the gap to one, 68-67, with 1:56 left.

Scott scored on an inside move at the other end to make a three-point game (70-67) once again. Plasski made two free throws to make a one-point deficit once again. Gardner won it with the last-second jumper on a feed from Lupien.

The Greyhound are now 11-9 overall and 9-6 in the conference currently in sixth place, one half game behind Pace (9-5) and Bentley (9-5). Saint Michael's is now 10-9 overall and 7-8 in the conference.

Assumption is are next in action at Saint Anselm (4-15, 2-12) Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Saint Michael's hosts American International Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Click here for ASSUMPTION-SAINT MICHAEL'S box score