Columbus, Ohio – The West Liberty University women's basketball team fell in a 78-65 match-up on the road in Alumni Hall in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday evening. The Hilltoppers used a 9-1 scoring run to get within two late in the first half and once again on a 3-pointer by Corinne Thomas early in the second half, however an 18-3 run for the Panthers pushed the game out of reach in the third quarter.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: West Liberty 65, Ohio Dominican 78
Team Records: West Liberty 5-6 (3-2 MEC), Ohio Dominican 3-6 (0-3 GMAC)
Attendance: 187
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bailee Smith opened the scoring in the game with a transition 3-pointer from the right wing off an assist from Bailey Beckstedt with 8:17 to play in the opener quarter before Ohio Dominican rallied off six consecutive points for their first lead. Karly McCutcheon quickly shut down the ODU scoring run with her first 3-pointer of the game, connecting from the right wing to tie the game at six. The Hilltoppers briefly regained the lead with a layup by Jenna Riccardo and another 3-pointer by Smith, however the Panthers took control with a 10-0 scoring run to go in front 18-11. After a scoring drought of 4:21, Riccardo snatched a lob pass from McCutcheon down low and made the layup to end the scoreless stretch. The Black & Gold drew within three points at 18-15 following the first ten minutes of play as a layup by McCutcheon in the closing seconds made it four straight points for WLU to end the period.
• After Ohio Dominican opened the second quarter with a fastbreak layup, West Liberty responded with back-to-back 3-pointers by McCutcheon and Grace Faulk to give the Hilltoppers the lead 21-20 with 8:33 to play till halftime. The Panthers, however, answered with a 12-2 scoring run to lead 32-23 with 4:29 to play, giving ODU the lead for good. After trailing by nine points, the Black & Gold went on a 9-1 scoring run of their own as a layup by Beckstedt cut the deficit to two at 33-31 and forced a Panther timeout. Ohio Dominican closed the final minute of the first half on a mini 4-1 scoring run to lead 37-32 at the break.
• Corinne Thomas buried a 3-pointer on West Liberty's first possession of the second half to cut the Ohio Dominican lead to 37-35 only 29 seconds into the half, however, the Panthers responded with an 18-3 scoring run to open up a 55-38 lead with 3:58 remaining in the third. A driving layup by Smith ended the ODU scoring run with 3:49 to play and was the first made field goal for the Hilltoppers since Thomas' 3-pointer to open the quarter. West Liberty went 2-of-4 on a pair of trips to the free throw line to end the third and Ohio Dominican led 65-49 entering the final ten minutes of play.
• The teams were scoreless the first two minutes of the fourth quarter before Corinne Thomas opened the scoring with a fastbreak layup to make it a 65-51 game with 7:48 to play. Ohio Dominican responded with another 6-0 scoring run, this time pushing the lead to 20 points, the largest lead of the game, at 71-51 with 6:28 to play. The Hilltoppers wouldn't go down without a fight in the final period as Paige Julian led the team on an 8-0 scoring run with four points on a pair of layups, cutting the deficit back down to 71-59 with 3:38 left in the game. The Panthers momentarily pushed the lead back to 16 points before a 3-pointer by Thomas capped a 6-0 scoring run that brought WLU within ten at 75-65 with 1:04 to play. ODU iced the game away at the free throw line, going 3-of-4 in the final minute.
• West Liberty shot 21-of-60 (35.0%) from the field, 9-of-31 (29.0%) from 3-point range, and 14-of-24 (58.3%) from the free throw line compared to 31-of-57 (54.4%) from the field, 1-of-10 (10.0%) from 3-point range, and 15-of-22 (68.2%) from the free throw line for Ohio Dominican.
• WLU assisted on 15 of 21 made shot attempts in the game and converted 22 ODU turnovers into 21 points off turnovers and 20 fastbreak points.
• The Panthers held the advantage on the glass as they outrebounded the Hilltoppers 33-31 and converted ten offensive rebounds into a 12-7 advantage in second chance points.
• Ohio Dominican's presence in the paint resulted in a 58-24 advantage in points in the paint.
• Four West Liberty athletes scored in double figures as Smith led the way with 15 points while Riccardo and Thomas added 13 apiece, and McCutcheon scored 11 in the contest.
• Four WLU players connected on a 3-pointer in the game as Smith knocked down a game-high three shots from beyond the arc while Thomas, McCutcheon, and Faulk each connected on two from deep.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Bailee Smith: 15 points, 3 3-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block
Jenna Riccardo: 13 points, 5-of-6 free throws, 7 rebounds
Corinne Thomas: 13 points, 2 3-pointers, 4 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Karly McCutcheon: 11 points, 2 3-pointers, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will play their third game in only a matter of seven days on Monday, December 18 when they visit No. 1 Ashland. The Hilltoppers will conclude their road swing in the Buckeye State with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off against the Eagles in Charles Kates Gymnasium in Ashland, Ohio.