Box Score BOX SCORE
Madison, NJ (January 12, 2008) – Junior Emily Cerankowski hit a running jumper in the lane with 0.8 seconds left lifting FDU-Florham over the DeSales University women's basketball team 68-67 in a Freedom Conference game on Saturday afternoon at the Ferguson Recreation Center.
Both teams struggled to score in the second overtime as FDU-Florham (11-4, 2-0 Freedom) held a 66-65 lead with 17 seconds left when DeSales (11-3, 1-1 Freedom) called timeout to set up a final play. Junior Kim Rarick (Ringtown, PA/North Schuylkill) ended up with the ball after an offensive rebound and hit a pull-up jumper just below the foul line to give DSU a 67-66 lead with 10 seconds left.
Cerankowski got the inbounds, dribbled the length of the court and hit her running one-hander with 0.8 seconds showing on the clock as the Bulldogs were unable to get off a desperation attempt.
DSU controlled the early portion of this game opening up an 18-10 lead over the first seven minutes before going ice cold from the floor for the rest of the half. The Devils took advantage as DeSales missed its next 12 shots until junior LeighAnn Burke (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) hit a jumper at the 5:01 mark to tie it at 20. Both teams traded baskets over the final five minutes as the scored was tied at 27 entering the locker rooms.
In the second half DeSales again went cold from the field hitting just 3-of-16 shots over the first 10 minutes as the Devils built a 48-34 lead with 9:17 to play. The Bulldogs turned up the defensive dial from that point with a full-court press and began its comeback. Four straight free throws followed by a jumper from junior Amanda Kuperavage (Port Carbon, PA/Nativity BVM) cut the lead down to eight points with just under eight to go.
A lay-up by sophomore Caitlin Miller (Fogelsville, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) and two freebies from senior Jenna Stampf (Nazareth, PA/Notre Dame) cut the margin down to three points with 4:53 to play but the Bulldogs went cold once again missing its next five shots.
Down four with 40 seconds left Burke stole a pass and converted a driving lay-up then made a steal in the backcourt and hit another lay-up to tie the game at 52 with 29 seconds left. Cerankowski hit a jumper on the other end to push the Devils back up to two points with 17 ticks left but Miller collected a loose ball with five seconds left and hit a jumper from the right corner to send the game into the first overtime.
In the first overtime the two teams traded baskets for much of the first 4:30 and FDU had a one-point lead, 62-61, with 37 seconds left on a lay-up from sophomore Danielle Michlovsky. After two straight misses and two straight offensive rebounds from junior Erica Sovak (Tuxedo, NY/George F. Baker), Burke was left open and drilled a three-pointer with seven seconds left to give DSU a 64-62 lead.
Cerankowski again took the inbounds pass, dribbled to halftime, threw a desperation pass to Michlovsky who hoisted a desperation shot at the buzzer from just inside the three-point line that went off the backboard and found the bottom of the net sending the game into a second overtime tied at 64 and setting up the late-game heroics for the Devils.
Burke led the Bulldog attack with 23 points, while Rarick and Stampf each added 12 points to round out the double figure scoring. Stampf also pulled down eight rebounds off the bench, Miller totaled seven points and 12 rebounds and sophomore Kaila Wiand (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) finished with seven points.
Michlovsky led the Devils with 18 points and 11 rebounds and Cerankowski totaled 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Freshman Shealyn Taggart had 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists and senior Kate Daly had nine points in the win.
The Bulldogs will return to action on Monday, January 14th when they travel on the road once again to face Richard Stockton College for a non-conference game beginning at 7:00 pm.
