Late Surge Lifts NC Wesleyan Past Women's Hoops

Late Surge Lifts NC Wesleyan Past Women's Hoops

MARIETTA, Ohio – The North Carolina Wesleyan women's basketball team outscored Penn State Behrend 10-2 in the final five minutes of the game to pick up a 64-57 win in the consolation game of the 32nd annual Jim Meagle Turkey Shootout sponsored by BSN Sports on Sunday afternoon.

Kechae Parker scored six of the final 10 points for the Battling Bishops (4-1) to end with a game-high 18 points and earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Timyra Staton tallied a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Alexis Fitzgerald was the third player in double-digit scoring with 11.

The Lions (1-5) got a game-high 18 points and 13 rebounds from Katie Chess (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) to earn All-Tournament Team honors. Heidi Langhorst (Corapolis, PA/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) and Ali Goetz (Mars, PA/Mars) each added nine points.

Behrend held a 16-15 lead after the first quarter, taking the one-point lead after a Rachael Razzano (New Castle, PA/New Castle) triple with 10 seconds on the clock. The Lions also outscored NC Wesleyan in the second quarter 17-13 thanks to Goetz and Chess.

Chess tallied 11 of her 18 points in the second quarter and Goetz added the other six points to be the only Behrend players to score in the for a 33-28 halftime lead. The Lions relinquished the lead twice in the third quarter but managed to tie the game at 48-all by the end of the 10 minutes.

Sadie Zielinski (Harborcreek, PA/Harbor Creek) drained a three and Razzano hit a layup to start the fourth period to give Behrend a 53-52 edge. Caila Spruill made a jump shot for the Battling Bishops but Langhorst regained a one-point lead with two free throws with 5:15 remaining in the game.

NC Wesleyan took the lead for good on Parker's pair of free throws to start the 10-2 run that gave the Battling Bishops their fourth win.

Behrend shot 71.4 percent from the charity stripe, while NC Wesleyan went 20-for-27 from the line for 74.1 percent.

The Lions return to action on Wednesday at D'Youville. Game time is 6 p.m.

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