ITHACA, N.Y. – Despite
Megan Yawman draining a game tying 3-pointer with 0.5 left in regulation to send the game into overtime, Springfield College broke the hearts of the Ithaca College women's basketball team by winning 73-71 in overtime on Saturday evening. The Bombers scored the first basket of the overtime period, but with the game tied at 71 points apiece Sam Hourihan hit a buzzer beating jumper of her own as time expired as the Pride move onto the Sweet 16 round of the 2022 Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament.
Inside the Box Score
- This nail-biting Second Round matchup featured 12 lead changes and nine ties. The Pride held a six point lead with 42 seconds remaining, but back-to-back 3-pointers down the stretch and poor free throw shooting saw the Bombers send the game into overtime.
- Megan Yawman netted a team-best 16 points and shot 4-of-9 from downtown. Fellow graduate student Grace Cannon netted 14 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double (9). Senior guard Cara Volpe netted 12 points and nine rebounds. All three guards left it all on the floor on Saturday evening.
- Despite the clear home crowd advantage, Springfield College fought through the crowd noise in Ben Light Gymnasium to shoot 46.9% from the floor (30-of-64).
- The Pride were led by Sam Hourihan who hit the game-winner, pumped in a game-high 28 points and collected 14 rebounds. Angela Czermcha also had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
- Emily Dorn chipped in 23 points off coach Dan Raymond's bench.
How it Happened
- Springfield ran out to a 10-2 lead confusing the Bombers offensive flow by creating turnovers and then running in the fast break. Ithaca settled into the game and clawed its way back eventually tying the game at 14 points apiece with Natalie Smith capping a 12-4 run with a 3-pointer. The Pride scored the next two baskets before Emily Dorn closed out the quarter with a last second layup that made it 18-16.
- The teams traded baskets for the majority of the second quarter but outstanding 3-point shooting from the Bombers kept them alive including a good make from Camryn Coffey.
- With 2:13 left in the half, Natalie Smith canned another shot from downtown to tie it up at 34 points apiece. Springfield hit the final bucket to go into the halftime break with a 38-36 lead.
- The programs continued to trade baskets before Grace Cannon gave IC the slight 41-38 lead, but the Pride silenced Ben Light Gymnasium by going on an 11-1 run to regain the lead at 49-42 with 2:21 to go. Both teams looked to push the pace as Springfield carried the 52-46 advantage into the final quarter of play.
- The Pride took its largest lead of the contest with 5:35 left but Ithaca gritted out several good possessions that resulted in baskets and made the stops. They closed out on a 16-3 run that set up the back-to-back Megan Yawman 3-pointers that tied it up as time expired to force the overtime period.
- Springfield fed Hourihan who converted a layup with 12 seconds left that put them up 71-70. Out of a timeout, Emily Dorn was fouled and she hit just 1-of-2 from the line to once again tie it up. After a deflection out of bounds, Springfield set up a baseline out of bounds play with 1.1 seconds remaining, which freed up Hourihan for the midrange game-winning jumper.
The Bombers winners of 20-striaght games, which set a new program record closed out its season with a 25-4 overall record.
