BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Senior forward Alesha Marcks hit a step-back three-pointer to force overtime but the Moravian College women's basketball squad ended up falling to No. 6 The University of Scranton, 70-65 in extra time, in Landmark Conference action in a rowdy Johnston Hall Wednesday evening.
"I thought we played really well. We said we wanted to play with energy, and I thought our defense was very good," commented Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "Alesha hitting that shot to put us in overtime, you have to feel good about ourselves. Unfortunately, you then have to take care of business and get the win. We had opportunities but we missed some easy shots.
"We forced 28 turnovers but you have to capitalize on them," continued Spirk. "There were a couple of times we'd force a turnover only to give the ball back right away. We have to do a little bit better of a job with that and take advantage of our good defense. Scranton is a good team, and now we have to regroup and get a win on Saturday."
Marcks, who was honored before the game as the 25th Moravian player to reach 1,000 career points, led four Greyhounds in double figures with 15 points, and she also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds as Marcks moved into 22nd in scoring with 1,036 points and 12th in rebounding with 578 boards. Senior guard Samantha Caligiuri tossed in 13 points for the Blue and Grey with three assists while graduate student Alexis Wright and sophomore forward Trista Cunningham each netted 10 points. Wright added four rebounds and became the fourth player in school history to reach 1,600 points now with 1,604 while Cunningham had three boards.
Senior guard Emily MacDonnell and freshman guard Maggie Melhem each scored six points with MacDonnell hitting two three-pointers and adding two assists while Melhem recorded three steals. Junior guard Morgan Calabrese netted four points while senior guard Karine Polgar had three assists. Junior forward Camille McPherson added three rebounds.
The Hounds fell behind early, 6-2, but would tie the score at 6-6 on a lay-up by Marcks just about four minutes into action. The Royals retook the lead and led 16-8 with 1:43 left in the opening quarter but a lay-up from Melhem and a pair of baskets by Marcks including one just before the buzzer had Moravian down just two points, 16-14, after 10 minutes of action.
Scranton led the entire second period with Moravian cutting the deficit to one point, 18-17, on a three-pointer from MacDonnell. Marcks hit the final basket of the second quarter as the Greyhounds headed to the locker room down, 27-24.
Wright hit a quick basket to start the second half for Moravian but Scranton would push the lead to seven points, 37-30, with 5:13 still left in the third quarter. MacDonnell tied the game at 38-38 with a three-pointer at the 2:30 mark and Cunningham connected on a lay-up with 37 seconds left in the third period to give the Hounds a 42-40 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Royals netted the first five points of the fourth period to take a 45-42 lead before Wright put Moravian back in front, 46-45, with a jumper. Scranton scored the next four points before Caligiuri hit a three-pointer to knot the score again at 49-49 with 3:47 left in regulation. Moravian went up 51-49 on a jumper from Wright before Scranton netted five straight points for a 54-51 lead with just 12 seconds to play. After a foul, Marcks received the inbounds pass in the right corner, took a dribble inside the three-point line before stepping back and hitting the three-pointer to tie the game for an eighth time at 54-54 with just 3.8 ticks left. Scranton's desperation three-pointer missed the mark as the teams headed to overtime.
The Royals hit the first four points of the extra five minutes and led the entire way. Moravian closed within a point, 62-61, on a three-pointer by Caligiuri with 1:44 remaining but Scranton hit six of seven free throws in the final 1:22 to earn the win.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, February 6 when the Greyhounds host Susquehanna University in a Landmark Conference contest tipping off at 2:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall. It is Moravian's annual Play 4Kay game to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, and the Greyhounds, who will wear pink uniforms, will also host their annual alumni game at noon on Saturday.
