Scots Rally to Force OT but Fall to Eureka

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill (11/22/2023) — The Monmouth College women's basketball team rallied from 17 points down to force overtime but ultimately lost at home to Eureka College 72-68 on Tuesday night. The Scots put two players in double digits and will next be in action on Saturday at Dominican.

The Scots scored on their first possession as Madison Heisch (Illinois City, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer. Eureka scored six in a row to take the lead with four made free throws. Kiersten Cox (Illinois City, Illinois) made a basket to end the run and neither team scored for four minutes. The Red Devils scored on two straight possessions for a 10-5 lead and added two free throws in the final minute to lead 12-5 after one.

Down 13-5 the Scots got an old-fashioned 3-point play from Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois). Eureka pushed the lead to eight before Stearns made two free throws. Danielle Beach (Geneseo, Illinois) had a block on defense and took the ball coast-to-coast for a layup and a 16-12 Red Devils lead. Eureka scored the next five before Beach scored again. The Red Devils converted on six more free throws in the quarter to lead 26-14 before Olivia Dinges (Amboy, Illinois) scored on a putback with 2:00 left. Eureka hit a 3-pointer before Dinges and Jadyn MItchell (Flanagan, Illinois) made free throws. Eureka had a putback at the buzzer for a 31-20 halftime lead.

Mitchell hit a 3-pointer on the first possession of the half and Cox scored to cut the Eureka lead to eight. Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) scored her first basket of the game but the Red Devils pushed the lead to 44-28. Stearns and Goodrich had layups in the quarter but Eureka led 50-35 after the quarter.

Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois) scored on the first possession of the fourth quarter. Madison Finch (Aledo, Illinois) and Beach followed with baskets in the lane as the Scots cut the deficit to nine. Cox hit a baseline jumper with 5:40 to play, then made two free throws a minute later to cut the Eureka lead to 54-49. Eureka countered with a 3-point play on a layup and Stearns made a 3-pointer. Down 59-52, the Scots missed two free throws on each of their next two possessions and the Red Devils made a free throw with 1:41 remaining.

Cox hit a baseline jumper to cut the lead to six and Heisch made two free throws. Stearns split free throws and Eureka called timeout. The Red Devils split free throws with 35 seconds left and Mitchell hit a runner off glass for a 61-59 game. Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) forced a turnover and the Scots called timeout with 20.5 seconds to play. Jones rebounded her own missed 3-pointer, got fouled and knocked down both free throws to tie the game with 13 seconds left. Eureka threw up a prayer at the buzzer that fell well short to send the game to overtime,

The Scots won the tip to start overtime and Jones scored on a layup for the first lead since it was 3-2. Eureka answered with a 3-pointer for a 64-63 lead. Down three, Finch rebounded her own miss, drew a foul and split free throws. Taj Hanserd (Rockford, Illinois) answered a layup from Eureka with one of her own. The Scots came up empty on the next two possessions and Eureka hit two free throws for a 70-66 lead. Jones scored on a layup and Eureka split free throws with 16 seconds left. Mitchell's 3-pointer to tie was too strong and the Red Devils made a free throw to lead 72-68 and Monmouth missed a shot on their final possession.

Cox and Stearns led the Scots with 11 points each while Mitchell added nine. Beach had 12 rebounds, Goodrich had 10 and Cox added nine. Jones had four steals and Heisch had three

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Eureka led by 17 in the third quarter. Stearns tied her career and season high in points with 11 which she also had on Friday. Finch scored her first career points. Monmouth outrebounded Eureka 51-50. The Scots were 17-for-30 from the free throw line. Monmouth forced 29 turnovers and had 16 steals. Monmouth shot 53% from the field in the fourth quarter during their comeback. The Scots play at Dominican University at 2 p.m. Saturday