The women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to Eastern Mennonite, 57-55 at the Bast Center on Friday evening. The loss dropped the Maroons to 14-10 overall and 12-7 in the ODAC. The Royals improved to 19-5, 15-4 in the ODAC.

 

It was the last game played at the Bast Center for seniors Torri Bridge, Erin Hanson and Sara Keller who were honored before the game. The three-players are tri-captains and have combined for 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 250 steals over their last four years. They have a four-year record of 62-42 and 47-32 record in the ODAC.

 

With seven seconds remaining and the game tied at 55-apiece, EMU scored off their own missed bucket with .4 seconds left to win their eighth game on the road this season (8-2). They have now won five of the last six meetings against Roanoke.   There were nine ties and 12 lead changes on the evening.

 

Eastern Mennonite shot 40.4% from the floor, 52% in the second half in large part due to their deadly outside shooting (5-of-8 from beyond the arc in the second half) to win their 15^th ODAC game of the season. They also shot 80% from the line and were 44% from the three-point line, led by Brittany Snyder who went 3-for-5 from downtown.

 

The Royals outscored the Maroons, 24-20 in the paint and 21-15 off the bench. The women outrebounded EMU, 42-33 and 16-6 in second chance points.

 

Both teams shot below 30-percent in the first half, as there were 19 turnovers in the first 20 minutes. Down five with four minutes to play in the half, the Maroons went on an 8-2 run as Hanson drained a three-pointer from the top of the key with six seconds left to give her team a 22-21 lead at the half.

 

The momentum carried over into the second half as they jumped out to a nine-point lead. Caitlyn Long and Jordan Gholson sparked the second half run, scoring nine points within three minutes during the 14-2 run. Bridge capped the run with a lay-up with 10:47 remaining to make the score, 41-32 as EMU called timeout.

 

The Maroons held the lead until Ebony Dennis hit a three in the corner to give the Royals a 53-51 lead with :54 seconds remaining which capped a 10-2 mini-run.

 

Roanoke gave the ball to their All-American as Hanson scored the next two baskets to tie the game twice, including a tough jumper in the lane with eight seconds left to tie the contest at 55-all.

 

Dennis dribbled down and shot a jumper in the short corner and missed, but Jolene Kratz was there to tip it in for the game-winner and the Royals 18^th victory.

 

Hanson finished with her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. She is currently fourth all-time in scoring (1,413) and moved up two spots in rebounding to fourth as well (724). He blocked shot puts her at eighth with 56 for her career. Her three steals tonight gives her 159 which places her ninth on that list.

 

Long finished with eight points, four rebounds and two assists. Her two three-pointers moves her into the top-10 single-season list with 43. She currently has 72 three's for a career which places her ninth. Gholson had eight points and two blocked shots, which ties her for fifth in single-season blocks with 42. Jaleesa Osborne's three steals tonight surpassed her freshman total with 67 on the year. She needs three more to enter the top-10 single-season steals list. She entered the top-10 list for steals in a career with 130 over two seasons.

 

Keller had seven points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots which tied her career-high. Over the last three games, Keller has averaged 7.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, one block and one steal during that stretch.

 

EMU was led by Dennis with 16 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Snyder had 13 points, four rebounds and three assists to pace the Royals.

 

The women return to action in the final game of the regular season as they travel to Lynchburg, Va. to play against Randolph College. The Maroons are 46-3 all-time vs. the Wildcats, including the last two meetings. Roanoke defeated Randolph, 79-39 at home on Jan. 18. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.

 

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