EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Basketball Team (6-0, 2-0 ODAC) needed three overtime periods Saturday but remained perfect on the year with an 87-82 victory over visiting Shenandoah University (2-4, 0-2 ODAC) at the John Rutledge King Center. The Wasps go into the fall exam period as the only undefeated team in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and in a three-way tie for first place in the league standings at 2-0.
It was the first triple overtime contest in program history and the first multiple overtime game for Emory & Henry since January 30, 1996 when the Wasps fell 101-94 at Roanoke College. E&H continues its best start in the NCAA Division III era of women's basketball (since 1982-83).
The contest featured 13 ties and 10 lead changes, all of which came after the halftime buzzer. E&H jumped out to a 10-2 lead at the 4:29 mark of the first period and led by as much as 12 with just under four minutes before the intermission.
In the third quarter, Shenandoah took its first lead of the game, but Emory & Henry responded to go into the final 10 minutes of regulation with the score 42-42. After falling behind 45-42 to start the fourth, the Wasps scored the next seven points to lead, 49-45. SU responded and retook the lead with 1:14 left but E&H managed to tie things up to force the first extra period.
In the first overtime, the Wasps led by as much as five but the Hornets' perimeter shooting kept them in the game as they hit a three with two seconds left to prolong the game. E&H led by four in the second overtime but an 8-2 run by Shenandoah made the score 72-74 with 16 seconds left. E&H extended the game further on a jumper from the short corner by junior Asja Jenkins (Richmond, Va.) with one second left on the clock.
The first two minutes of the third overtime went back and forth but Emory & Henry junior guard Megan Jacoby (Richmond, Va.) and senior guard Anna Green (Raleigh, N.C.) hit back-to-back three's to make it a two-possession game. The Hornets got within two but Emory & Henry finished things out at the free throw line for the 87-82 victory.
Jacoby led the Wasps with 19 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and nine steals while freshman guard Taylor Blevins (Abingdon, Va.) notched her first career double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, adding four steals and two blocks. Freshman guard Tessa Johnston (High Point, N.C.) had 12 points, connecting on four three-pointers while Jenkins notched 11 points and 10 rebounds for her double-double. Senior forward Tamara Brewster (Morrow, Ga.) added 10 points and nine board while senior forward Karina Farr (Graham, Wash.) pitched in nine points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
As a team, Emory & Henry shot 40.3 percent (31-for-77) for the game, hitting seven three-pointers and scoring 27 points off turnovers. The Wasps led 36-20 on points in the paint and held a 56-41 rebounding advantage.
Shenandoah was paced by Kirstyn Arcata's 36-point outpouring as she connected on seven three's and added seven rebounds, and four assists. Shannon Kuhn had 24 points on six triples to go along with seven boards. Kanesha Foster picked up 10 points, six boards and nine steals.
The Hornets went 15-for-24 (62.5%) from long range, as they made more shots from beyond the arc than inside it. SU led 28-20 on second-chance points, despite being out-rebounded 22-13 on the offensive glass.
Emory & Henry will have 15 days off before it travels to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Las Vegas Hoopla for its next pair of games. The Wasps will take on the University of Scranton on Sunday, December 20 at 2:00 p.m., Pacific Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern).
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15