RIVER FOREST, Ill. --- Playing in the second to last regular-season home game of the 2021-22 season, the Concordia University Chicago women's basketball team welcomed the Rockford University Regents to Geiseman Gymnasium on Tuesday night. The Cougars were able to build up an eight-point lead going into the half, but Rockford was able to work back in the second half. The Regents spoiled the night for CUC with two free throws with nine seconds left to down the Cougars 61-59.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ava Gardner (Park Ridge, Ill.) had a game-high 15 points, knocking down five threes.
- Mikalah Ellis (Chicago, Ill.) came just a rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.
- Sydney Lloyd (Grand Forks, N.D.) and Nazuri Whigham (Naperville, Ill.) also finished in double figures on the night.
- As a team, CUC knocked down 11 threes.
The Cougars got things going quickly to open the night with a Gardner three. The Regents answered with a run, building their lead out to 15-8 with just under two minutes to go in the quarter. CUC kept battling, getting threes from Gardner and Lloyd over the last minute to cut the Regent lead to 15-14 after one.
The three-point shooting stayed hot for CUC to open the second. Lloyd hit down back-to-back threes to give CUC a 20-17 lead. The Cougars continued to slowly build up the lead, making it a seven-point game on a Whigham three with just over two minutes to go before half. Concordia added on one more before halftime to take a 29-21 lead into the break.
CUC built on their momentum to open the third.
Jaylene Wade (Lansing, Ill.) and
Alisyn MacGregor (Loves Park, Ill.) both hit jumpers in the paint, and Ellis hit a three to extend the lead to 13, which was the largest of the day for CUC. The Regents answered with their largest run of the day (18-3) to storm back and take the lead with just over two and a half minutes to play in the third. CUC stopped the Regent run with a three-point play by Whigham, but Rockford was able to hit a pair late free throws to take a 43-42 lead into the fourth.
Both offenses slowed down considerably in the opening minutes of the fourth. After Rockford had built their lead out to six, Gardner hit a three from the wing to pull back within three. The Regents built their lead up to six again, but the combination of scoring from Ellis and Whigham got CUC back within a possession midway through the quarter.
The Cougars finally pulled even when Gardner hit her fifth three of the day with 54 seconds left to tie the game at 57. The shot set Geiseman into a frenzy. On the next possession after a timeout, Rockford was able to work the ball inside to Audriana Terhune for a tough right-handed layup to take the lead. On the ensuing CUC possession, MacGregor was able to get an offensive board off of a tough miss and was fouled.
The first-year forward was cool under pressure, knocking down both free throws to tie the game at 59 with 10 seconds to go. Rockford called a time out and drew up a play for their forward Anaya Davis, who was fouled as she went up for a right-handed layup. Davis knocked down both free throws to make it 61-59 Rockford. CUC got a look at the buzzer but the shot came up short.
With the loss, CUC falls to 6-14 overall and 5-10 in the NACC. Rockford improves to 12-9 overall and 8-7 in NACC play. The Cougars will be back in action on Saturday afternoon when St. Norbert makes the trek to Geiseman for a 2:00 pm tip. Saturday will also be senior day for CUC. You can find links to coverage at cucougars.com/coverage.
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