MILWAUKEE -- The Alverno College women's basketball team defeated Dominican University 74-70 in an overtime thriller at Reiman Gymnasium in Milwaukee.
The Inferno (10-11, 6-9 Northern Athletics Conference) trailed 59-53 with 1:15 to go in regulation, but Bre Miller (Racine, Wis./Horlick) hit a shot on a Josyln Binkowski (Greenfield, Wis.) pass with a minute remaining to cut Dominican's (11-10, 6-9 NAC) lead to four.
The Inferno quickly fouled the Stars' Jessica Salinas (Bolingbrook, Ill.) who missed both free throws, leaving the door open for the host team. Binkowski came down with the defensive rebound, and the Inferno would score on a Lisa Sorgi (Milwaukee, Wis./Greenfield) 12-foot jumper with 32 seconds remaining.
Alverno would again quickly foul, putting Lindsey Trent (Frankfort, Ind.) at the line. The Senior guard would go 1-of-2 from the line, keeping the Stars in front 60-57 with 20 seconds remaining.
The Inferno would score on a Gabby Allen (Milwaukee, Wis./Bay View) layup cutting the lead to one at 60-59. Dominican's Salinas would go 1-of-2 from the line, again leaving the door open for the Inferno.
It was Allen again who scored the game-tying hoop, going coast-to-coast and hitting the reverse-left handed layup with 4 seconds remaining.
Trent's desperation shot at the buzzer was no good, forcing the game into overtime at 61-61.
The Inferno trailed quickly in overtime, down four with just under 3 minutes to play. Sorgi would hit a layup cutting the lead to two, and the Inferno would force a Star miss taking possession of the ball trailing 68-66.
With just over 2 minutes to play, Miller would come up with a huge three-point basket from the top of the key giving the Inferno the lead for good.
The Stars would again miss a jumper and foul Allen on the play. Allen would sink both free throws putting the Inferno up 69-66. The Inferno would finish out the game not attempting another field goal, but shooting 7-of-12 from the free throw line to seal the NAC victory.
Miller led the Inferno in scoring with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the three-point arc and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Miller also had seven rebounds, and three steals and two blocks on the defensive end of the floor.
Allen scored 19 points and had five rebounds and two steals, while Sorgi shot 7-of-11 from the floor, including 2-of-2 from three-point range, for 18 points. Sorgi also grabbed seven rebounds.
Binkowski chipped in 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, going 3-of-4 from the free throw line, and grabbed seven rebounds.
Trent and Angel Betts (Pontiac, Ill.) led the Stars with 24 points each. Betts shot a blistering 7-of-12 from the three-point arc.
The Stars outrebounded the Inferno 46-43, but the Inferno forced the Stars to 25 turnovers while only committing 17.
The victory adds to the Inferno's record wins total this season (10), which surpassed previous record of eight set in the program's inaugural season back in 2000-01.
The win also puts Alverno, Dominican and Benedictine University in a three-way tie for fourth place in the NAC South Division with three games to play. The top four teams from each division advance to the NAC Tournament, with the NAC Tournament champion receiving the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament.
Alverno will face Benedictine this Thursday in Lisle, Ill. with a 7pm start time.
