ITHACA, N.Y. -- The women's basketball team erased a 22-point deficit in the final 6:30 of regulation en route to beating Oneonta 72-70 in overtime. Ithaca's rally from 22 points down was just two points shy of the largest margin ever overcome by an NCAA Division III team. Junior guard
Sue Kelly (Bethlehem/Delmar) scored a career-best 22 points.
The largest deficit ever overcome to win an NCAA Division III women's basketball game was by Western Connecticut, who trailed Keene State by 24 with 10:53 left in regulation before coming back to win 61-58 in overtime on Jan. 9, 2001.
Ithaca's comeback came after the Red Dragons opened up their largest lead: a 22-point advantage (60-38) with 6:06 left in regulation.
Kelly connected on back-to-back three-point baskets, senior forward
Molly Brennan (HeatlyGreen Island) converted five free throws and junior
Erin Sanvidge (Catholic Central/Troy) scored five points including a three-pointer with 23 seconds left that tied the game and capped Ithaca's 21-1 run. Following two Oneonta free throws,
Kelly went two-for-two from the line setting up the Red Dragons for an attempt at a game-winning shot. The Red Dragons missed two shots in the last five seconds; they ended regulation by missing their final nine shots and turning the ball over four times in the last six minutes of regulation.
Two free throws by senior forward
Jill Post (Oxford Academy/Oxford) and one by
Sanvidge gave the Bombers a three-point lead wiith 1:35 left in overtime. The Red Dragons snapped their 9:46 stretch without a field goal tying the game with a three-point basket. A layup by senior forward
Megan Micho (Westhill/Syracuse) and a Red Dragon jumper left the game tied with under 30 seconds left.
Kelly's jump shot put Ithaca up to stay with 25 seconds left.
Post scored 11 points and matched a career high with 13 rebounds.
Micho nearly matched
Post's double-double, collecting nine points and 11 rebounds to go along with three steals and three blocked shots.
The Bombers resume Empire 8 play Friday, playing at Rochester Institute of Technology at 6 p.m.
Game programBox score
