Box Score

PURCHASE, N.Y. – Manhattanville hit three-of-four free throws in the final 15 seconds and held the Lady Colonels to three points in the final 1:28 of overtime to take a 78-76 Freedom Conference win. 

 

Five different players scored in double-figures for Manhattanville, including a 20-point effort from Jess Delagrange and 16 points from Carey Hickey. The Valiants were also able to capitalize on 30 Wilkes turnovers that resulted in 33 points which proved to be the difference. 

 

Samantha Simcox (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) put in a career-high 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds for Wilkes. Allison Horn (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) matched Simcox with 17 points hitting 9-of-11 free throws while dishing out six assists. 

 

Both teams exchanged baskets for most of the first half with Manhattanville holding the lead during that span. Horn made the front end of a pair of free throws with 2:36 to go in the first to tie the game then gave the Lady Colonels their first lead after hitting the second. 

 

Wilkes used a 9-0 in the final 3:19 of the half to take a 33-28 advantage into the locker room. 

 

Manhattanville's scoring drought would continue in the second half as the Lady Colonels held it scoreless over the first 1:14 of the period. By that time Wilkes held a nine point advantage (37-28) with 18:46 to play. The Valiants would use a 7-0 run of their own to pull within two (37-35) with 17:21 to play, but a scoreless drought of nearly four minutes gave the Lady Colonels a 47-37 lead – its largest of the game with just under 14 minutes to go. 

 

A layup by Chelsey Gosse (Allentown, Pa./Dieruff) gave Wilkes a 55-45 lead with 8:51 to go, but it would be over five minutes later before Simcox ended the scoreless streak when she made a layup with 3:14 to go. Manhattanville took advantage, pulling within two (57-55) but would eventually take the lead for good in the half when Hickey hit a three-pointer with 1:38 to go in regulation. 

 

Trailing 65-63 with 12 seconds to play, Sam Lynam (Spinnerstown/Quakertown) hit a jumper as time expired to tie the game for the sixth time sending the game into overtime. Lynam, the team's leading scorer, finished with just four points on 2-of-5 shooting. 

 

Nina Johnson converted a layup with 4:37 to play in overtime to give the Valiants a 67-65 lead which they would not lose the rest of the way. 

 

Wilkes was only able to make one field goal in the over time period – a three-pointer by Horn, but made 8-of-9 free throws to keep the game close. The Lady Colonels made 28-of-38 free throws for the game with Simcox draining 7-of-10. 

 

The loss dropped the Lady Colonels to 6-5 overall and 1-3 in Freedom Conference play. They will return home Saturday to host FDU-Florham at 1 p.m.