William Paterson Rallies to Win in Double Overtime
Richard RoBards
TOURNAMNET PAGE
By Richard RoBards
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Julie Rovito scored seven points in the second overtime as William Paterson University completed a major league comeback to advance in the ECAC Division III Women's Basketball Championships Feb. 28, 90-80, over Hunter College.
Playing on the road in the Hunter Sportsplex, WPU (15-12) led only once in regulation when Rovito hit two free throws for a 58-57 lead. She was a perfect 12-for-12 for the game from the free throw line and scored a game-high 26 points.
Fellow Pioneer Tori Woetzel was a big difference in the last 30 minutes, scoring all 18 of her points and pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds.
Hunter (18-10) built 14-7 and 35-24 leads at the end of the first and second quarters, respectively.
William Paterson nipped away at that halftime lead, pulling to within three points (41-38) before Hunter went on a 10-4 run the rest of the way to lead 51-42 at the end of the third period.
Woetzel’s 3 with 16 seconds remaining in regulation drew the Pioneers even and the two teams played an additional five minutes without either team leading by more than three points. The first overtime ended, 73-73.
It was Woetzel’s block of a Christine Patterson shot with six seconds left in the initial overtime that forced a final five minutes.
But in the second overtime period, the Pioneers went ahead 77-76 on a Woetzel layup and then took advantage of a Hawk scoring drought. WPU outscored Hunter 17-7 in the deciding overtime period.
Hunter was led by Jade Aponte’s 19 points, the only Hawk to reach double figures. Ashley Arias and Maya Thompson had nine and eight rebounds for the Hawks.
Brianna Brooks joined Rovito and Woetzel in double figures with 13.
WPU shot 41 percent for the game (29-for-70) and hit 27 of 37 free throws. Hunter was 29-for-86 (33.7 percent) and connected on 17 of 27 free throws.
William Paterson will play overall No. 1 seed Washington and Jefferson College (22-5), who received a bye as host of the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games this weekend. The two teams square off at 8 p.m. Friday, March 2.
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