OSKALOOSA, Iowa -- It took two overtimes, a double-double from one Mustang, and a career day from another, but in the end it added up to an 80-77 victory for Mount Mercy in a hard-fought Midwest Collegiate Conference women's basketball game against William Penn on Saturday at Penn Gymnasium.
The win avenged a 66-57 overtime loss to William Penn last month in Cedar Rapids, and allowed Mount Mercy to keep pace with Grand View in the MCC. Second place in the league will be on the line when the Mustangs (18-10, 10-4 MCC) host the Vikings (22-7, 12-3 MCC) on Wednesday. Iowa Wesleyan (20-7, 13-1 MCC) can lock up the regular season title with a win tonight at Viterbo (Wis.).
After leading by five at intermission, Mount Mercy watched William Penn go on an 11-3 run to start the second half and take a 34-31 advantage at the 16-minute mark. The Lady Statesmen bumped that lead to 11 with 9:07 to go before a 13-1 spurt by the Mustangs put them back in front, 52-51, with 5:02 remaining.
William Penn quickly went back in front and stayed there until a pair of free throws by senior guard Catalina de la Quintana tied the game at 60-60 with 39 seconds left in regulation. A final shot by the Lady Statesmen was off the mark, ushering the game into overtime.
William Penn's Nancy Chicas opened the extra session with a layup before sophomore guard Emily Greiner nailed a 3-pointer and later hit two free throws to put Mount Mercy in front by three. Chicas hit 1-of-2 free throws to get the Lady Statesmen within two, and after a miss by the Mustangs, scored another layup with two seconds to go to force a second overtime.
After a low scoring first overtime period, the two teams combined for 27 points in the second extra session. Mount Mercy led by as many as five on two occassions, and had a chance to seal the deal at the free throw line up by three with 10 seconds to go. After the Mustangs missed two foul shots, the Lady Statesmen had two chances to tie, but 3-pointers by Chicas and Carleigh Hobson wouldn't fall and Mount Mercy earned the come-from-behind win.
Greiner made four 3-pointers and was 8-of-9 at the free throw line while pouring in a career-high 22 points for the Mustangs. Senior forward Shanda Novak had her third straight double-double, going for 17 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday. Junior forward Tonya Davis added 12 points and nine boards, sophomore guard Micha Mims 10 points. Quintana finished with nine points, six rebounds, and nine assists.
Chicas had 21 points to lead William Penn. Christa Subbert tallied 18 points, Samantha Darley 12, and Rachel Butler 11. Butler also grabbed seven rebounds, while Ashton Perez snatched 11 boards to help the Lady Statesmen to a 58-50 rebounding edge.
Mount Mercy and 19th-ranked Grand View square off at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Hennessey Recreation Center. The Mustangs wrap up the regular season with Seniors Day on Saturday, Feb. 20, against Ashford at 1:00 p.m.
