Jessica McHugh
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Senior Jessica McHugh posted 11 points and eight rebounds in her final career game Saturday

King's Women Drop Season Finale to Wilkes in OT, 52-50

2/22/2014 2:59:00 PM

Box Score
FEBRUARY 22, 2014

WILKES WOMEN OUTLAST KING'S 52-50 IN OVERTIME

WILKES-BARRE -- Chelsea Brown and Ellen Rich combined for 23 points, 32 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots as the host Wilkes University women's basketball team posted a 52-50 overtime win over cross-town rival King's College Saturday in the Marts Center.

With the win, Wilkes ended its season with a 6-19 overall record and a 3-11 conference mark. King's, meanwhile, concluded its injury-plagued campaign at 7-18 and 3-11. It also marked the first time Wilkes has won a season series sweep over King's since the 1996-97 as the Lady Monarchs have now won 30 of he last 33 games against Wilkes.

In the first half both teams struggled offensively as the game was deadlocked at 4-4 with 14:01 left in the first half. After Jessica McHugh made one-of-two foul shots to put King's ahead 5-4, Wilkes answered with a 6-0 spurt to build a 10-5 advantage with 10:10 left.  Marissa Manning then converted an inside shot for King's to bring the score to 10-8.

The Lady Colonels then scored twice to up the lead to 13-8 after buckets by Chelsea Brown and Kate Thomas with 5:35 on the clock. But King's used a four points from Jennifer Fabian, a three-pointer by Kayla Feairheller, and three foul shots form Tara Zdancewicz to take a 18-17 lead at the break.

King's used a pair of three-pointers by Feairheller and McHugh to extend the lead to 24-19. Wilkes answered with three straight buckets to tie the score at 24-24 at the 16:26 mark.  But King's forged ahead to a 31-26 lead thanks to one-of-two free throws from Manning and back-to-back three-pointers by McHugh at 14:49.

Wilkes came back tied the game at 33-33 with 10:05 left on a jumper by Thomas. King's answered with a traditional three-point play by Manning but Wilkes responded with two straight buckets from Cara Basile to give the Lady Colonels a 40-39 lead with 5:26 on the clock.

Manning responded with another bucket and foul shot to push the Lady Monarchs ahead 42-40, but Brown answered with a driving basket to tie the score again at 42-42 at the 2:51 mark.  After the teams traded baskets, to keep the game tied at 44-44, Basile made both ends of a one-and-one to put Wilkes ahead 46-44 with 1:44 to go. But King's responded when Manning converted her own one-and-one at 1:16.

After both teams missed shots, Wilkes had the last possession and a Rich jumper was off the mark at the buzzer as the teams entered overtime.

Wilkes struck first when Elena Stambone, who had missed her first 18 shots of the game, made a jumper to put the Lady Colonels ahead. McHugh nd Fabian each went 1-for-2 from the foul line as King's tied the score 48-48 with 3:04 to go.

Brown and Manning traded bucket to keep the score tied at 50-50 with 2:46 left. Wilkes would miss but an offensive rebound gave Rich a short jumper as the Lady Colonels took a 52-50 lead with 2:00 to go. King's was unable to convert from the foul line when Manning was hacked and missed both shots with 0:28 to play.

King's had a shot to take the lead but McHugh mised a three-pointer with 0:11 left. Rich was fouled with 0:04 to go and missed the front end of a one-and-one. King's rebounded but unable to get a shot off in time as Wilkes held on for the victory.

King's shot just 21.7 (15-69) percent for the game and made only 20.6 (7-34) percent from three-point range.  Manning led King's with 16 points and 13 rebounds while Feairheller followed with 12 points and six boards. McHugh posted 11 points and eight rebounds in her final collegiate game..  Zdancewicz contributed six points while Fabian chipped in with five points and nine boards.

McHugh finished her career at King's with 275 points, 194 rebounds, and 51 three-pointers.

Willkes shot 26.9 (21-78) percent from the field and was 0-for-20 from three-point range.  The Lady Colonels did block 11 King's shots in the game.

Brown had 13 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocks while Rich tallied 11 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks.  Kate Thomas added nine points while Basile contributed six.

Stambone, who led the conference in scoring at 19 points per-game, finished with four points after going 1-for-23.

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