PITTSBURGH, Pa.  – After trailing by 18 points late in the second quarter, the Hilbert College Women's Basketball team battled and forced the Celtics from Carlow University into an overtime Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference contest.

The Hawks, who suffered a ten-point loss earlier this season in Hamburg, took their first lead in overtime and held on for the 70-68 road win.  Hilbert went the distance with six healthy players today and finished the game with only two players in foul trouble.

With their third win in the last four games, Hilbert (4-7) shifted into a two-way tie for seventh place while Carlow sits in a three-way jam for 3^rd-5^th place (7-5).   

HIGHLIGHTS

Alesia Hamm and Kelsey Schlagenhauf continues to drive the Hawks on the court.  But other teammates came through when their number was called.

Avery Cusack tossed in four points but led all players with 16 rebounds!  Belle Oakley added late-game free throws (4 points) and came up with a huge late-game block while Mackenzie Catan drilling three shots from deep and earned eight rebounds.

Maria Spinelli finished with seven rebounds and also made one very important free throw.

Kelsey Schlagenhauf was the work-horse in the paint, scoring 17 points, hitting 7-of-10 at the charity stripe while Alesia Hamm established her new career-high scoring record with 33 points, making 15-of-16 at the foul line earning 10 rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Hilbert took an early lead thanks to a three-point play by Avery Cusack, a pair of free throws by Alesia Hamm and a Kelsey Schlagenhauf layup in the paint.  Both teams then traded buckets and leads before the Celtics found their rhythm beyond the arc to slowly pull away, taking a 22-13 lead into the second quarter.
• Hamm hit twice at the start of the second session and kept the Hawks in a seven-point game.  The Celtics matched offensive efforts, and, after striking again from downtown, the hosts forced a double-figure lead (29-17).  Belle Oakley made it a 10-point game (29-19) at 4:40 but that was as close as the Hawks would get before the 40-24 half time score.
• Hamm closed the second quarter with four straight points, and she opened the third with the same effort, all eight points in the paint.  Mackenzie Catan came alive and netted eight consecutive points, striking from downtown in back-to-back attempts and pulled Hilbert into a seven-point game (43-36) at 6:16.  Schlagenhauf squeezed in a layup before Catan drilled her third '3' in 2.5 minutes, and Maria Spinelli made one of two at the foul line to make it a 45-42 game at 4:22. 
• Hilbert, who went cold from the floor at the end of the third, kept the Celtics in check defensively while they inched back into the game at the started the fourth quarter.  Hamm scored twice in the first minute to set the 52-48 score.  Schlagenhauf found the bottom of the net and made a free throw before Oakley connected twice at the charity stripe.  Cusack's made free throw pulled Hilbert closer, 56-54 with over six minutes left.  Schlagenhauf and Hamm went 4-4 to force the game's first even score (60-60) with just under three minutes left in regulation and after Carlow went back up by two, the timeout/advance the ball situations started.  A Cusack steal set up a Hamm bucket to knot the game at 62.  Both teams traded makes at the foul line, and Oakley was credited with a blocked shot with Hamm securing the defensive rebound to set up their second consecutive overtime game this week.
• Hamm scored all six Hilbert overtime points as the Hawks limited the Celtics to two early scores in the overtime win.  She hit all four free throws and made room in the paint for the score which led to the win.

GAME NOTES

• Hilbert won the game at the foul line, scoring 27 points when the clock was stopped vs. Carlow's 12 makes.
• Hilbert really outworked the Celtics, building a 54-39 rebounding margin, though they did give Carlow 15 offensive rebounds which they turned into 15 second chance points.
• Hilbert outplayed the hosts in the second half, finishing the game hitting 37.7% of their attempts from the field goals limiting Carlow to 31% over the course of 45 minutes.

UP NEXT

Hilbert will stay in Pennsylvania overnight to play their rescheduled AMCC game at Mount Aloysius Sunday with a 12 pm tip in Cresson, Pa.