LIVONIA, Mich. - The Lawrence Tech women's basketball team drops a heartbreaker to Madonna University (Mich.), 89-87 in overtime. The Crusaders overcame an 11-point deficit to snap the Blue Devils four game win streak.
Five players finished in double-figures for LTU, including a team-high 19 points from Allison Bicknell (JR/Waterford, MI). True freshmen Alex Ruster (FR/Warren, MI) added 18 points, while Maegan Branham (SO/Michigan Center, MI) finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Hayley Walkowski (FR/Marshall, MI) and Allison Kitchen (SO/Clio, MI) had 12 points each.
Ruster scored the Blue Devils first eight points to open the game and give LTU an early 10-2 lead. However, Madonna would tie the game back up four minutes later, 12-12. The teams would tie six more times, until 4:13 remaining as Lawrence Tech took an 8-2 run into the locker room. LTU led 43-37 at halftime.
Six minutes into the second half, Kitchen gave LTU its first double-digit lead of the game, sinking a pair of free throws to make it 57-46. The Blue Devils made it an 11-point lead three more times before the Crusaders would claw their way back. With 2:11 left, Madonna cut the lead to one, but a Bicknell triple put LTU back up by four, 78-74.
Trailing 81-78 with 24 seconds remaining, the Crusaders pushed the ball up court and missed two three-point attempts until the ball found Michele Hayes wide-open at the top of the arc. LTU could not answer in the final seven seconds to head into overtime tied, 81-81.
In overtime, Kitchen scored right from the tip-off to give LTU a two-point lead. Hayes answered for Madonna before Branham got a layup and free throw to fall. The Crusaders responded with four straight points, until Branham tied it at the free throw line, 87-87 with 1:33 remaining. Rachel Melcher of Madonna would put the game away, as she laid it up off the glass in the final minute to give the Crusaders an 89-87 win.
The Blue Devils look to get back on track as they host the Mustangs of Marygrove College on Dec. 13. Tip-off is set for 1pm.
