MONMOUTH, ILL. (01/02/2023) The Monmouth College women’s basketball team survived a scare on Monday night but got some big shots late to knock off Lawrence 75-72 in overtime. The Scots are now 2-2 in Midwest Conference play.
Lawrence grabbed the first basket on the opening possession but the Scots answered through senior Zoie Wall (Bartonville, Illinois). Neither team scored for the next two minutes before a long jumper by Wall gave Monmouth a 4-2 lead. Audrey Law (Bloomington, Illinois) got a basket and the Scots kept Lawrence off the board for 7:17. Wall scored on the next two Monmouth possessions for a 10-4 lead before the Vikings called timeout. Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois) scored on the final Monmouth possession of the quarter for a 12-6 lead.
Jones scored again early in the second quarter to put the Scots up by eight. Wall made a 3-pointer from the right-wing for a 17-8 lead. Lily Harlan (Washington, Illinois) scored in the lane for an 11-point lead before the Vikings got back on the board. Wall splashed a 3-pointer with 2:30 to go in the half, putting the Scots on top 25-13 and they led by 10 at halftime.
The teams traded baskets over the first 4:30 of the second half until Madison Heisch (Illinois City, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer for a 32-19 lead. The Vikings went on a 5-0 run before a free throw from Harlan. Lawrence, who was 1-for-12 from deep in the first half, hit four in a row in the third quarter, cutting the lead to eight as Monmouth answered each make with a bucket of their own. Tarae Warner (Burlington, Iowa) hit a 3-pointer of her own for a 41-30 lead before Lawnrece scored the final five points of the quarter.
Jones put the Scots back up seven with a bucket early in the fourth before Lawrence made four free throws to cut the lead to three. Harlan buried a 3-point shot from the corner for a 48-42 lead but the Vikings got another 3-pointer of their own. Wall made a pair of free throws and the Scots led 52-45 with 3:25 to play. After the Vikings scored, Harlan made a layup and the visitors called timeout. Lawrence made another 3-pointer to cut the lead to four with 90 seconds to play. The Scots turned it over but Warner stole the ball back. Jones scored on a putback and got fouled with 46.8 seconds left, giving the Scots a 57-50 lead. Lawrence scored, got a turnover and hit yet another 3-pointer to cut the lead to 57-55. Warner went to the line with 8.8 seconds left and split free throws. The Vikings called timeout and then hit a desperation 3-pointer from near mid-court to tie the game with 1.3 seconds left. The Scots called timeout but didn’t get a shot before the clock ran out.
Jones scored on Monmouth’s first possession of overtime for a 60-58 lead. Law made a pair of free throws for a 62-59 lead and Lawrence got a bucket on their next trip down the floor. The Vikings completed a 3-point play for their first lead since 2-0. Jones scored on a second-chance in the lane to tie tha game at 64. Down two, Wall buried a jumper with 90 seconds left, then made two free throws on the next trip to tie the game again. Lawrence led again but Harlan completed a 3-point play with 34.6 seconds left to give the Scots a 71-70 lead. After the Vikings went back on top, Harlan hit a 3-pointer for a 74-72 lead with 17 seconds left. Lawrence missed a layup and Wall hit a free throw for the final score of 75-72.
Wall scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds for her fourth double double of the season. Jones scored 17 points and Harlan added 14 for Monmouth.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The teams split the two games last season, both winning at home. The Scots are 25-2 against Lawrence since the start of the 2007-08 season. The last time Lawrence won in Monmouth was in the 2006-07 season as they picked up the season sweep. Monmouth faces Beloit College at home this Saturday with a 1 p.m. start.
