The Pi Delta Chi Classics defeated the Theta Sigma Chi Colts 42-38 in the women’s intramural basketball championship Friday night.
The game was close throughout and saw numerous lead changes and ties in both the first and second halves. The Colts were first to get on the board as senior Ginny Gause put in a basket 45 seconds into the game. Gause had a very productive night, leading all scorers with 15 points.
The Classics kept pace with the Colts throughout the first half and never fell down by more than three points. The Classics had five players score, and all five contributed in both halves. Classics freshman Rebecca Teruel had 10 points on the night, with eight of those coming in the first half.
At the end of the first half, the Classics found themselves up by three, and headed into halftime with a 20-17 lead.
At the start of the second half, the Colts came out of the break on a 6-1 run to go up 23-21, prompting a Classics timeout.
Following the timeout, neither team scored for almost three minutes before Teruel was able to find her way to the hoop and tie things up at 23-23. Sophomore Kristen Haertlein added a jumper before freshman Anna Daulton put in a 3-pointer to give the Classics their largest lead of the game at five, 28-23.
Colts freshman Moriah Green played a vital role in the Colts’ offensive success, as she pulled in rebounds all night, including several on the offensive side. Green had 10 points on the night as well, including eight coming in the second half. Green responded to the Classics’ run to cut the lead to three again, and Classics senior Tori Anderson answered back with a 3-pointer to go up 31-25. Green was not done yet though. She posted up three more times over the next several minutes, including a basket that tied the score at 34-34 with under three minutes to go.
Gause was able to break the tie in the Colts’ favor when she put in a jumper, giving the Colts a two-point edge. Haertlein answered for the Classics just seconds later, to tie it again at 36-36. Anderson then put in a shot to push Pi Delta up by two. Daulton also got in on the late-game action when she added two more, giving the Classics a 40-36 lead with under a minute left to play.
It was once again Gause who responded with an impressive basket that brought the Colts within two, 40-38, with 27 seconds remaining. The Colts were forced to foul, and it paid off as the Classics missed the free throw, giving the Colts one final chance to either tie or take the lead. The Colts drove the ball down the lane for a close shot attempt, but sophomore Kelly Ward was there for the block, denying the Colts a shot to tie with four seconds left.
The Colts then fouled Daulton, who hit both free throws, giving the Classics a 42-38 lead with just one second left. The Classics won the game 42-38, to claim the intramural basketball championship.