Feb. 13, 2008

Stats

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Adrian College women's basketball team was just three seconds away from a season sweep of Calvin College but unfortunately Sarah Partridge gave her team a comeback win on a jumper with three seconds remaining giving the host Knights a 65-64 win. Adrian let the game slip through their fingers after leading 33-23 at intermission. The Bulldogs led the entire first half with the exception of two ties in the opening 20 minutes. Adrian forced Calvin into 15 turnovers and allowed the Knights to shoot just 28.6 percent (8-of-28) in the first half.

It seemed like Calvin would fall just short in the second half as the Bulldogs held onto the lead until 3:20 left when Marcia Harris scored two of her game-high 32 points to give Calvin a 55-54 advantage and their first lead of the game. Kim Olech and Harris would each trade scoring chances as Olech scored the next six points for her team while Harris would do likewise. Harris gave Calvin a 61-60 lead with 1:15 to go setting up the dramatics. Nichole Roose hit a pair of free throws with 55 seconds left to give Adrian a 62-61 edge. Harris was fouled by Olech with 37 seconds left and made both her freebies to give Calvin a 63-62 lead. Megan Bouwens scored on a driving layup with an assist from Roose to put Adrian back up a point at 64-63 with 23 seconds to go. Nikki Zimmerman turned it over and Partridge had to foul Jennifer Perrin with 10 seconds remaining. Perrin, an 84.8 percent free throw shooter, missed both and Zimmerman redeemed herself with a great pass to Partridge for the winning score. Adrian could only muster a desperation shot at the buzzer which fell well short in the final seconds.

The lead changed 11 times in the second half and there were three ties. Adrian was hurt by 29 turnovers compared to 19 for Calvin. The Bulldogs held a 42-33 edge on the boards including 15 offensive rebounds. Olech finished with nine points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes. Bouwens led the team with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting including 10 first-half points. Anita Stamps led the bench effort with nine points making three field goals and three free throws in 25 minutes. Ashley McClarren returned after missing two games to score six points on 3-of-3 shooting in 13 minutes. The Bulldogs drop to 8-13 overall and 6-7 in the MIAA.