Ohio Wesleyan 84, Penn State-DuBois 53
Marietta 73, Ursuline 60
Freshman post LaNiece McRae (Youngstown/Chaney) and freshman guard Sarah McQuade (Dublin/Coffman) set tournament records as the Bishops defeated Penn State-DuBois in the first round of Ohio Wesleyan's Bishop Classic/Hoops for Hope tournament on Thursday at Branch Rickey Arena.
In Thursday's second game, Marietta's Aleisha Guiler set a tournament record in helping the Pioneers past Ursuline.
Ohio Wesleyan will face Marietta in the tournament championship game at 3 p.m. on Friday, to be preceded by Penn State-DuBois against Ursuline in the consolation game at 1 p.m.
The Bishops raced to a quick 4-0 lead in Thursday's opener, getting a jumper by freshman wing Mary Corbett (Columbus/Upper Arlington) and a lay-in by sophomore post Tamra Londot (Utica), but Penn State-DuBois countered with a lay-in by Patience McCullough and a Tessa Vargas 3-pointer to take a 5-4 lead less than 2 minutes into the action.
Ohio Wesleyan then scored the game's next 22 points, with freshman wing Caroline Welker (Delaware/Hayes) hitting a 3-pointer and McRae scoring 4 consecutive Bishop baskets. Junior post Helen Scheblo (Canal Winchester/St. Francis DeSales) capped the run with a lay-in that gave Ohio Wesleyan a 26-5 lead with 11:21 left in the first half.
Karlee Carnovale sank a pair of free throws to end the Ohio Wesleyan run, and the Lions clawed back with a Kyley Mickle free throw and a Lynnie Schirmer 3-pointer. A Jenna Matzinger 3-pointer later in the half brought PSU-D within 36-21.
Penn State-DuBois was still within 47-30 after a Karlee Cyphert lay-in early in the second half, but the Bishops held the Lions without a basket for the next 7 minutes, pulling away behind the inside scoring of McRae and Londot. Freshman guard Tavia Croom (Heath) scored on a fast break to cap a 14-1 run that extended the margin to 61-31 with 13:41 left in regulation time.
McRae led the Bishops with 22 points and 13 rebounds. She blocked 8 Lion shots, not only breaking the tournament record of 4 set by Kayla Gordon last year, but eclipsing the school record of 7 blocks set by Mary Potter at Wooster on Feb. 1, 1983.
McQuade collected a season-high 10 assists, breaking the tournament record of 9 set by Heather McAlpin of Capital against Carnegie Mellon in 2007.
Welker added 13 points, while Londot and Scheblo finished with 11 apiece.
Matzinger led Penn State-DuBois with 11 points.
In Thursday's nightcap, Marietta scored the game's first 14 points, with Guiler starting the run with a 3-point play and adding another lay-in for good measure.
Ursuline got on the scoreboard when Laura Campbell hit the second of 2 free throws, and the Arrows got their first field goal shortly thereafter, with Brianna Woods converting a 3-point play. Campbell added 2 more free throws and a lay-in, and a pair of Katie Cappello layu-ins and a Michele Hare 3-pointer helped Ursuline close the gap to 23-16 with 9:14 left in the first half.
Cappello and Campbell combined for all 6 points during a 6-0 run early in the second half that sliced the deficit to 44-38, and the Arrows were still within 51-43 with 12 minutes to play.
Marietta then went on a 7-0 run that saw Candice Alexander and Guiler each hit a pair of free throws, and the Pioneers were able to close out the victory.
Guiler led Marietta with 18 points and 21 rebounds, with the 21 boards breaking the tournament record of 17 set by Caitlin Hubach of John Carroll against Ohio Wesleyan in 2005.
Cappello led Ursuline with 21 points.
Ohio Wesleyan-Penn State-DuBois Box Score
Marietta-Ursuline Box Score
