Women's basketball escapes OT thriller

February 17, 2022

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

GALLATIN, Tenn. – Hosting Welch (Tenn.) College led Thursday evening's contest for 33:52 before Linsdey Browning hit both of her free throws to tie the game in the midst of a 26-point fourth quarter. The game took an extra five minutes to decide a winner with the Lady Pioneers emerging victorious 83-81.

Crowley's Ridge (13-13, 4-5 CAC) fell behind early, with Welch jumping ahead to lead by as many as 12 points in the first quarter. Claire Bellers kept the Lady 'Neers in the game, bucketing six of CRC's 11 points in the opening frame. Meanwhile, Welch took a 22-11 lead at the first break.

The Lady Pioneer defense began to slow down the Welch (7-13) production, holding the Lady Flames to 17 points in the second quarter. Bellers again posted six points to lead the girls in green while Lindsey Browning added five. At halftime, Crowley's Ridge trailed 39-28.

Crowley's Ridge leaned on the sophomore experience of Travia Woodruff in the third quarter, as the Jonesboro native tallied seven points.

Both teams made their free throws down the stretch to keep the scores relatively even in the final four minutes of the game until Welch jumped ahead to a 72-68 lead. N'Kyah Edwards then drained a 3-pointer to pull the Lady 'Neers within one. A free throw from the Lady Flames with 26 seconds forced the girls in green to make a shot from the floor to keep the game alive. The shot came off of the fingers of Bellers, who knotted the game 73-73 to force overtime for the first time in the 2021-22 campaign.

Nearly needing a second overtime of play, Browning went 1-2 from the line with 23 seconds to put the Lady 'Neers up by two. With plenty of time, the Welch offense put up two shots, both of which fell short with Crowley's Ridge eking out the 83-81 win.

As a team, the Lady 'Neers shot 14-17 from the charity stripe while out-rebounding the Lady Flames 57-47.

Browning and Madison Sellars posted double-doubles each with Browning tallying team-high 20 points while pulling down 12 boards. Sellars' 12 rebounds were accompanied by 10 points. Also scoring in double figures was Bellers, whose 17 points was her season's best. Woodruff bucketed 12 points, while N'Kyah Edwards collected 11. 

Up Next

Crowley's Ridge will wrap up the 2021-22 regular season with a trip to Springdale, Arkansas to face perennial rival Ecclesia (Ark.) College. Tipoff on Monday, February 21 is set for 3:30 p.m. 

The Lady Pioneers will then refocus for the 2022 Continental Athletic Conference Tournament, which has seen them draw Wilberforce (Ohio) University in the opening round on February 25.