The Behrend Lions hosted Adrian College in the championship round of the Behrend Tip-Off Tournament on Sunday, November 23 in the Junker Center.
In a well played championship contest, Adrian held off the Behrend Lions, 72-69, in front of 244 fans.
During the first twenty minutes of basketball, the game was an up and down affair and locked at 26 all with 2:59 remaining in the first half.
The Bulldogs then went on a 7-3 run to head to intermission with a 33-29 lead. Amy Oldach (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) and Rachel Richardson (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) dropped in eight apiece, while both teams shot below 40% from the floor with Adrian holding a 27-20 rebounding advantage.
During the second half, Behrend's Kelly Nowacinski (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) hit a lay-in to knot the game at 39-39 three minutes in, but Adrian stretched the lead to nine at the 7:55 mark. Behrend then took its first lead since the 8:16 mark of the first half with only 3:07 remaining after Nowacinski drained a three-pointer providing Behrend with a 66-65 lead. But Adrian hit its free-throws down the stretch, and Oldach's three-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out as time expired.
Nowacinski finished with a game-high 20 points for Behrend, while Oldach added 16 points. Richardson played a strong game tallying 14 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Adrian was paced by Megan Bouwens 13 and Anita Stamps who registered 11 points, six assists, and five steals.
In the consolation game, the Titans of Westminster cruised past Cazenovia by a 60-44 count. Named to the all-tournament team were Colleen Clarke (Cazenovia), Kaitlin McCarthy (Westminster), Rachel Richardson (Behrend), Amy Oldach (Behrend), Megan Bouwens (Adrian), and the MVP honors were presented to Adrian's Anita Stamps.
Behrend is next in action on Saturday, November 29 at 4:00 p.m. when the blue and white travels to compete at Fredonia State. A year ago, the Blue Devils dropped Behrend in the Junker Center 69-46.
