BOX SCORE

Center Valley, PA (November 21, 2009) – Senior Caitlin Miller (Fogelsville, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) and junior Lori Lidlow (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) each hit big shots at the end of regulation and overtime helping the DeSales University women's basketball team escape with a 71-70 overtime win over Juniata College in the opening round of the Starter's Pub Tip-Off Tournament held at DeSales in Billera Hall on Saturday evening.

The Bulldogs (2-0 overall) advance to the championship game where they will face Wesley College, who defeated Lycoming College, 75-60, in the other opening round game. The consolation game, which starts at 1:00 pm, will feature Lycoming College vs. Juniata College. DSU and Wesley will face-off at 3:00 pm in the title game. For those unable to attend tomorrow's championship game you can follow online via LIVE Stats or LIVE Audio at either of the two links.

The opening game was a thriller. DeSales controlled most of the first half opening up as much as 14-point lead (25-11) in the first 20 minutes and led by 12 with 2:02 remaining before Juniata used a quick 7-0 run to end the half cutting the deficit down to five points at the break. The Eagles (1-1 overall) did most of their damage on the offensive glass, pulling down 12 o-boards and totaling nine second-chance points in the opening half. DSU committed 16 costly turnovers allowing Juniata back in the game.

A three-pointer by Lidlow at the start of the half pushed the lead up to six points but Juniata took control after that shot with a 10-0 run over the next two and a half minutes to turn a six-point deficit into a four-point lead. The Eagles did their damage from outside the arc; hitting two three's during the run and shooting an unconscious 8-for-15 from downtown in the second half.

The lead remained four at the 15:11 mark when DSU responded with a quick 10-0 spurt of its own pushing the lead back to six points, 46-40, at the 12:09 mark. Four different Bulldogs scored including freshman Colleen Gavin (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) with a three-point play during the run.

DeSales led by five with 10:04 left when Juniata again got steaming hot from three-land, hitting four straight three's as part of a 12-2 run that left the Bulldogs shaking their heads. Lidlow quieted the road crowd with a lay-up and senior Kaila Wiand (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) hit two big free throws cutting the margin down to three. A Miller lay-up made it a one-point game but JC's Ashton Bankos hit another triple on the next possession giving the visitor's a four point cushion with 4:25 to go.

A three-point play from sophomore Cherelle Simmons (Lancaster, PA/JP McCaskey) cut the deficit down to one again and after a three-point miss on the other end, Wiand grabbed a big rebound and was fouled as she walked to the other end to knock down two more big free throws giving DeSales a one-point lead, 59-58, with 3:03 remaining.

Juniata answered right away with a Jen Hnatuck lay-up and after both teams came up empty on back-to-back possessions, the Eagles' Kelly Rotan hit a lay-up with 1:29 to go making it a 62-59, Juniata lead with 1:29 on the clock. After a 30-second timeout, Lidlow raced downcourt and hit a driving lay-up cutting the margin to one and after a JC miss on the other end, DSU called timeout with 12 seconds left to set up a play. Lidlow got the ball and drove the left-side of the lane where she tripped by a JC post player and was sent to the line with five seconds left for two shots. Her first shot rimmed out and after a Juniata timeout, Lidlow calmly knocked down the second freebie to send the game into overtime.

In the overtime the two teams went back-and-forth as the lead changed hands four times over the first two minutes. DSU was up three after two Miller free throws with 2:32 to go before Meagan Raville hit a short jumper to cut the lead to one with 2:11 to go. A missed three-pointer and three straight DeSales turnovers gave Juniata a chance and they finally took advantage with 38 seconds left when Bankos drove the lane for a lay-up, but the Bulldogs wasted no time getting the ball inbounds and sophomore Hannah Smith (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) alertly looked up the court to find Miller all alone on the other end for an easy lay-up plus one free throw on a foul. Miller missed the free throw but DeSales clung to a 71-70 lead with 32 seconds left.

Juniata called timeout with 22 seconds left and 19 on the shot clock with a chance to win the game. Jordan Speck drove the right-side of the lane with the shot clock winding down and was fouled by Miller on the way up but both her free throws were off the mark and Miller grabbed the loose ball rebound, finding Smith who dribbled out the final six seconds as DeSales escaped with the home victory.

Lidlow poured in 26 points, her second straight game with 26 tallies, in the win for the Bulldogs, while Miller also reached double figures with 11 points and added nine rebounds. Wiand was terrific off the bench with nine points, six rebounds, and four assists. Gavin and Simmons each had seven points and Smith totaled a team-high five assists.

Hnatuck totaled a double-double with 15 points and 13 boards, Raville finished with 19 points, and Speck added 11 tallies in the loss.

In the other opening round game, Wesley used a big second-half, outscoring Lycoming 39-22, to earn a trip into the championship game with a 75-60 win. Cory Boyd led the way with 10 points and 14 assists, while Angie Owens totaled 23 points and 10 boards in the win. Lycoming was led by Alicia Engler with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in the loss.