Notables-Game was part of the Music Classic, hosted at Trevecca Nazarene University-Hovick had the buzzer-beater the previous night and the game-winning free throws tonight
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (csssaints.com) – Much like the previous night, the St. Scholastica women's basketball team trailed for much of the contest against Anderson University (Ind.), but used a pair of
Mariah Hovick (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS) free throws in the final five seconds to down the Ravens 56-55 on Tuesday night.
Brittani Brennan (Ashland, Wis./Ashland HS) scored the first points of the game before Anderson went on a 9-0 run to take a seven-point lead. CSS responded with an 11-0 run, thanks to three, 3-pointers, to regain the lead at 15-13.
The Ravens (1-9) then scored 13 straight points to take an 11-point lead. The margin got as high as 12 points before the Saints closed the first half with six straight as the Ravens led 33-27 at halftime.
The Saints shot only 24 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes, while the Ravens shot 46 percent. Anderson outscored CSS 16-6 in the paint.
St. Scholastica continued its run at the start of the second half and a
Danica Schellbach (Rush City, Minn./Rush City HS) layup cut the Anderson lead to two points. The Ravens were able to hang on to the lead and extended their margin back to 12 with 12 minutes to go.
However, just like yesterday's game, the Saints chipped away outscoring the Ravens 19-6 over the next 10 minutes to take a 52-51 lead with two minutes to go.
The teams then traded the lead with both making a pair of free throws. A Ravens jumper with a minute remaining gave them the lead at 55-54. The Saints could not capitalize on the following possession, but an Anderson turnover gave the Saints the ball back.
Anderson would commit a foul with less than five seconds remaining. The hero from yesterday's victory,
Mariah Hovick (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS), stepped to the line and calmly sank both free throws to give CSS a 56-55 lead. The Ravens would not get a final shot off as St. Scholastica prevailed 56-55.
The Saints shot 37 percent in the second half to finish at 30 percent for the game. CSS was also 15-of-19 from the free throw line. Anderson shot only 29 percent in the second half and finished at 38 percent for the game. The St. Scholastica bench was big, outscoring the Ravens' bench 21-10.
Hovick and Brennan each scored 12 points to lead the Saints. Brennan added four assists. Schellbach had six points and a team-high eight rebounds. Shelby Shaffer had a game-high 15 points to lead Anderson.
The Saints (2-6) will make a pit stop on their way back in Dubuque, Iowa on Friday to face the University of Dubuque at 1 p.m.
