OSHKOSH, Wis. - No. 5/7 Gustavus women's basketball erased a first half deficit and forced two overtimes against Trine University, but was upset 61-58 in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday. The Gusties finish the season 25-3 overall and fall in the regional round of the national tourney for the third straight season.
A pair of layups by
Rachel Kawiecki followed by a jumped from
Izzy Quick and another layup by
Emma Kniefel gave the Gusties an early 8-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game, but the advantage slowly faded through the first half.
Leading 12-10 after the first quarter, the Gusties had trouble making shots while Trine went on a 12-2 run to start the second frame for a 22-14 lead.
Kylie Baranick made a couple free throws in the final minute of the half to make the score 27-21 in favor of the Thunder.
Gustavus chipped away at the deficit in the third quarter, bringing the score down to two points four times, but it wasn't until the 8:50 mark of the fourth quarter that the Gusties tied the game 37-37 on a jumper by Kawiecki.
Emily Bowron then hit a three to give the Gusties their first lead since the first quarter.
The lead changed sides three more times and a layup by Kawiecki with 1:51 left in the fourth quarter proved to be the last made bucket of regulation as the game went to overtime tied 48-48. The Gusties had a good look at the game-winning shot with time expiring, but
Emma Kniefel's three-point shot just missed.
Kylie Baranick started the overtime with a three, but Trine answered with six straight points to regain a 54-51 lead. A free throw by
Morgan Kelly and a layup by Quick tied the game at 54-54 and the game was sent to a second overtime.
Trine outscored Gustavus 7-4 in the second OT but gave the Gusties a chance to tie the game once more after missing a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining. Racing up the court, Kniefel's three-pointer to tie the game missed and the Thunder was able to walk away with the upset.
The Gusties shot a season-low 34.3 percent from the floor and made just 2-of-19 three-pointers. Baranick led the offense with 13 points. Kniefel was next with 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals, while Kawiecki added 10 points, a game-high 11 rebounds, and three blocks.
