Top 10 Exciting Games of 2014-15 - #1 Women's Basketball Tops Muhlenberg in Final Second
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College continues its look back at its 2014-15 athletic campaign with the No. 1 highlight in the Top 10 Exciting Games – the women’s basketball team’s 61-60 win over rival Muhlenberg College to open the 2014-15 season on November 15 as junior guard Emily MacDonnell sank two free throws with 0.3 seconds left on the clock.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College continues its look back at its 2014-15 athletic campaign with the No. 1 highlight in the Top 10 Exciting Games – the women's basketball team's 61-60 win over rival Muhlenberg College to open the 2014-15 season on November 15 as junior guard Emily MacDonnell sank two free throws with 0.3 seconds left on the clock.
The Hounds, who finished the season at 15-12 overall and reached the semifinals of the 2015 ECAC Division III South Tournament, rallied from a 10-point deficit with 4:55 to play for the victory.
"Opening up our season with a game at Muhlenberg was not the best scenario for a team that lost five starters from the previous year," commented Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "Our leader, Alexis Wright, was returning from a severe knee injury as well, and this was her first game back. We were young, yes, but we were determined and we were not going to let an experienced and talented team like Muhlenberg intimidate us. Somehow we stayed with them, as the team showed tremendous resolve in one of the toughest places to play."
The contest started in Moravian's favor with baskets from junior forward Alesha Marks, sophomore guard Morgan Calabrese, Wright and junior guard/forward Marie Rossignoli opening up an 8-0 lead for the Greyhounds five minutes into action. Marcks made the lead 10 points, 12-2, as she hit a pair of free throws with 11:27 on the clock but the Mules scored 14 of the next 18 points to tie the game at 16-16 with 6:14 before the intermission. The Greyhounds moved back in front and headed to the locker room with a 26-24 lead.
Muhlenberg netted a three-pointer just 18 seconds into the second half to take a lead that the Mules would hold onto until MacDonnell's free throws. The Blue & Grey trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half, down 49-34 with 11:38 left in the contest.
The Hounds started to close the gap and moved within four points on a free throw by Wright and then within three points, 50-47, with two shots from the charity stripe by Marcks with just over seven minutes to play. Muhlenberg answered with nine of the next 11 points to pull back in front by double figures at 59-49 with 4:55 to play. Moravian stepped up the defense and would allow the Mules just one point during the rest of the game.
Freshman guard Taylor Freeman started the comeback with a three-pointer and MacDonnell added a jumper to cut the deficit to five, 59-54, with 4:10 still to go. Wright hit a short jumper to cut the Mules' lead to three with 3:20 on the clock before Marcks tied the game with a free throw and then a jumper with 1:28 remaining.
The Greyhounds forced a turnover and a missed shot before a free throw put Muhlenberg back in front 60-59 with 37 ticks left on the clock. After the Mules missed two free throws with ten seconds remaining, Wright grabber her 13th rebound of the contest and Spirk called a timeout with six seconds left.
"We had the ball, down one with a few seconds to play, and I called a time out," stated Spirk. "We had a play called for Morgan to drive to the bucket, as I knew the Mules would be all over Alexis. Morgan drove, got the shot off (I was calling for a foul on the drive) and then somehow in the mayhem after the initial shot, Emily comes up with the ball and throws it up at the basket. Emily is smart and savvy and knew she had to at least get a shot up. I never saw her shot, but I did see the ref hold up his arm for a foul, with less than a second to play. He came over and called a foul on the three-point shot. Emily missed the first shot, but after Muhlenberg called a time out, which I think helped calm Emily's nerves, she drained the next two and we win. Emily is a competitor and she was not to be denied her chance to win the game."
MacDonnell was fouled behind the three-point line as she launched a shot from the left side of the court with just under a second to play. MacDonnell was 1-for-2 at the line before her three shots and missed the opening attempt.
"I was nervous, but still relatively confident, MacDonnell said. "The only thing that was going through my head was that as long as I made one to tie it up, we had a shot at the game."
After the timeout, she calmly connected on the second attempt to tie the game at 60-60. Muhlenberg called another timeout but MacDonnell wasn't fazed and drained the final free throw for the lead.
"I was much more confident going into my last free throw, explained MacDonnell. "I thought the worst that could happen was if I missed, we play tough defense and come together to win it in overtime."
The Mules tried to throw the ball the length of the court on the inbounds pass but it bounced away and time ran out as the Greyhounds celebrated on the court.
"It's always nice to beat Muhlenberg, especially on a season opener in their gym," MacDonnell stated. "It was a great way to get our momentum for the start of our season. I think winning a season opener is always a great way to set the tone for the rest of a season. Despite losing in overtime to The College of New Jersey a few days later, we definitely went strong into the beginning of our season."
Spirk shared her views on the opening victory.
"It was a great way to start the season and one of the best games I was a part of in all my years of coaching. The team realized we could compete with anyone and the celebration afterwards in the locker room was special," Spirk finished.
You can check out the original game day story http://moraviansports.com/sports/wbkb/2014-15/releases/20141115ef7z6o.
Moravian will begin a countdown of its Top 10 Stories of 2014-15 on Monday, July 27.
