Minnesota State-Moorhead Tips Franklin Pierce in OT, 92-87
D'Ettorre leads five Ravens in double-figures, Ravens can't keep up torrid first-half pace
MOORHEAD, Minn. (November 26, 2005) - Minnesota State University-Moorhead out-scored Franklin Pierce 9-1 from the free-throw line in overtime to come away with a 92-87 victory in non-conference women's basketball action at Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse tonight.
Sophomore Melissa Sexton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) led MSU-Moorhead with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field, including 4-8 from three-point range, and seven rebounds. Junior Lindsay Anderson (Forest Lake, Minn.) finished with 18 points, four rebounds and three assists, while freshman Katie Walden (Hawley, Minn.) added 15 points, three boards and three assists.
Junior Danielle D'Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary's) led five Franklin Pierce players in double-figures, nearly notching her first double-double of the season, with a season-high 19 points and nine rebounds to go with two assists and two steals. She hit 7-of-13 shots from the field and converted 4-6 free-throw attempts on the night.
Senior Heather Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) added 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, while freshman Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England) contributed 14 points, a season-best seven assists and four boards. Senior Maria Clifton (New York, N.Y./Saint Michael's Academy) finished with 13 points and six boards, while sophomore Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) chipped in 11 points, aided by 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range and four rebounds.
Franklin Pierce hit 3-of-6 field goal attempts, including 2-3 from three-point range, in the extra period, compared to 2-8 from the field (1-4 three's) for the hosts, but MSU-Moorhead went to the line 11 times and canned nine attempts in the final five minutes, compared to two attempts (one make) for the Ravens.
The Dragons never trailed in the overtime period, leading by four points most of the way. D'Ettorre hit a three to pull Franklin Pierce within a point with 40-seconds to play, but Walden hit four free throws around a Ravens turnover to ice the contest.
A pair of Clifton free throws gave Franklin Pierce a seven-point lead (77-70) with 3:04 remaining in regulation. MSU-Moorhead worked its way back in the game largely from the charity stripe. Anderson started the comeback by hitting a pair at the line, then after a miss on the Franklin Pierce end, Sexton hit a jumper to pull the Dragons within three-points (77-74) with two-minutes to play.
Leedham split a pair of attempts for Franklin Pierce with 55-seconds on the clock, then MSUM knotted the game on an Anderson jumper after two offensive rebounds with eight-seconds on the clock. The Ravens turned the ball over on the other end, then the Dragons missed a desperation three at the buzzer to force overtime.
Both teams were on fire from the field in the first half. The Ravens hit 55.2-percent (16-29) from the field to take a 44-39 lead into the locker room at halftime. Despite the deficit, MSU-Moorhead connected on 63.6% (14-22) attempts from the field in the half. Franklin Pierce built the lead largely in part to a 17-8 rebounding advantage, including 9-6 on its half of the court.
Franklin Pierce (1-3, 1-1 NE-10) returns home to host Southern New Hampshire University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. MSU-Moorhead (3-2) hosts Minnesota-Morris on Thursday at 6 p.m.