WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Widener University women's basketball team battled back from a 15-point first half deficit to have a chance to win in the final possession, but dropped a heartbreaker 65-64 to the Lycoming Warriors in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals on Thursday night.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Devan Rimmer led the Pride with 22 points, going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.
• Erin Phelan and Nicole Barnes each grabbed seven rebounds, Phelan scoring 11 and Barnes with 10.
• The Widener bench outscored the Warriors 21-3.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game got off to a good start for the Pride as Rimmer connected on a three in the first possession. From there, Lycoming went on a 12-2 run in the next four minutes, opening a 12-5 lead. The teams traded baskets for the final five minutes of the first quarter as Lycoming took a 22-15 lead after 10 minutes.
• A rough opening to the second half saw the Warriors post 12 of the first 16 points, leading to a 15 point lead and a Widener timeout. Righting the ship, the Blue and Gold clawed back, trailing 44-35 at the half.
• Both teams struggled to score opening the second half as each squad posted just two points through the 5:36 mark.  Widener turned it up on both ends of the floor, going on a 9-0 run to knot the game at 48-48.
• Evenly matched into the fourth quarter, WU once again tied the game at 57-57 before back-to-back baskets for LC nudged it ahead by four. Widener battled back as Rimmer calmly drained a three to pull to 65-64 with under a minute to go. Still down by that score with four seconds left, an offensive foul turned the ball over to the Warriors, who ran out the clock to escape with the win.

 
UP NEXT
Widener now waits to learn if it will receive an at large bid to the NCAA tournament or if it will garner a berth in the ECAC Championship.