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For Immediate Releaseeureka, illinois
Eureka forces 2 OT's despite high attrition rate
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Eureka College overcame losing three players to fouls and a 41-12 disadvantage in free throw attempts to force double overtime before finally surrendering to attrition and the Webster University Gorloks, 71-68 Saturday afternoon. Eureka did not allow a field goal in the second overtime period, but Webster marched to the line 13 times, making nine to secure the home victory.
The Red Devils (6-18, 5-11 SLIAC) played a large portion of the opening frame with their starting frontcourt of Nicole Fisher (Canton, Ill./HS) and Brandi Payne (Eureka, Ill./HS) on the bench with three fouls. The two senior forwards combined for 4-for-4 from the field for eight points, but only 23 minutes played.
Webster (11-13, 5-10 SLIAC) shot 16-for-19 at the charity stripe in the first 20 minutes, compared to Eureka's 2-for-3. The Red Devils also had 17 turnovers in the first half, but they stayed close thanks in part to the 10 points of Brittany Gardner (Mooresville, Ind./HS) and six points and four boards of Shelby Naab (Beecher City, Ill./HS).
Eureka scored nine consecutive points to take a 13-8 lead, but then went over four minutes without finding the scoring column as the Gorloks rallied for a 21-13 advantage with seven minutes left in the half. That would be the largest lead for either side on the day. The Red Devils came right back with an 8-0 spurt to tie the game at 21. However, the Gorloks, who made just five field goals before halftime, went into the break up 26-24.
Webster maintained a slim lead until the midpoint of the second half. It was then that Eureka hit the Gorloks with a 14-3 scoring run. Gardner sank three shots during the rally, with the last giving EC a 47-42 edge with 4:52 remaining.
Fisher, who saved 11 of her 15 points for the second half, tallied the next three Red Devil points on free throws to stake Eureka to its largest lead of the game at 50-44 at the 3:45 mark. But just as the Red Devils had finally seemed to gain solid footing, the game swung back to the home team as the Gorloks held Eureka off the scoreboard until the final seconds.
A 7-0 Webster run consisted of a Michelle McQueen three-pointer and a pair of lay ups by Julie McGirl, which put Webster ahead 51-50 with 53 seconds to play.
On Eureka's next possession Fisher appeared to give Eureka the lead back, but was whistled for an offensive foul, her third offensive foul and fifth foul total of the game. The Red Devils got the ball back only down one point after McQueen missed the front end of a one-and-bonus, but EC was called for yet anther offensive foul on a drive to the basket by Payne with 17.7 seconds to go.
A after a technical foul on the EC bench and another foul on the ensuing possession, the Red Devils still had life, down 53-50 after Webster made just two out of four free throw tries. Naab brought Eureka within 53-52 with 9.2 seconds left on a driving lay up, and a foul put Katy Meyer of Webster on the line with 7.6 seconds to play. She made only the second free throw making it a two-point game. After a timeout, Naab again drove in for a lay up, this time tying the game with less than one second showing on the clock and thus forcing overtime.
Nicole Ropp (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest) drained a three-pointer to give Eureka an early lead in the first extra session, but McQueen dropped in two treys to keep Webster close. The second one from well behind the arc tied the game at 62 with 29.1 seconds to go. After an EC turnover, the Gorloks had a shot to win the game, but Kim Downs (Kewanee, Ill./HS) swatted it away for one of her four blocked shots in the game with 1.3 seconds remaining, sending the contest to a second overtime.
Ropp, Naab and Gardner each took turns putting the Red Devils ahead by two points, only to see the slim margins evaporate each time on Webster's parade to the foul line. Payne fouled out with 4:33 left in the period and Downs followed suit with 1:37 to play. Gardner's made jumper at the 1:23 mark held up until Meyer of Webster was fouled with 27 seconds to go. She made both free throws, putting her team in front to stay, 69-68.
Eureka twice turned the ball over in the backcourt, but Webster only converted two out of four free throws, giving EC one last chance down 71-68 with seven seconds left. Naab drove down for a look to tie the game, but she could not save the game again for Eureka as Webster prevailed.
Gardner led the Red Devils with 19 points. She played all 50 minutes of the game, with just three turnovers at the guard position. Fisher was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field for 15 points. She fouled out for the first time this season, leading to her second lowest minutes played total of 27. Naab had 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Downs handed out eight assists after halftime to a total of nine. She also had four blocks, four steals and five points. Payne chipped in 10 tallies to make four Red Devils in double figures. Eureka outscored Webster 38-18 in the paint.
McGirl led all players with 20 points for Webster. McQueen had 11 points and eight assists. Webster shot just 31 percent (19-for-61) compared to Eureka's 44 percent (28-for-63), but the Gorloks outscored Eureka 29-9 at the foul line.
Eureka will honor its four senior women's basketball players at the final game of the season at home, Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 6:00 pm versus Lincoln Christian College. The Red Devils took the first meeting
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
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