Gallery: (12-21-2024) 2024-25 Women's Basketball vs. Clarion
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team erased a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter on Saturday to rally and knock off regionally-ranked Clarion in overtime, 94-84, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) match at Heiges Field House.
Shippensburg (4-6, 2-3 PSAC) totaled 48 points in game's final 15 minutes (the fourth quarter and overtime) and was fueled offensively by a pair of career-high performances from sophomore
Bella Chimienti (24 points) and freshman
Abbie Johns (17 points).
Clarion (10-3, 4-2), currently No. 10 in the D2SIDA Atlantic Regional rankings, opened the door for the Raider comeback at the free-throw stripe. The Golden Eagles struggled from the line, converting at just a 41-percent clip (12-of-29), while Shippensburg sunk 76 percent from the line (28-of-37), including a pair of clutch free throws from senior
Taja Colbert with five seconds left that sent the game into overtime.
The Golden Eagles led for more than 38 minutes Saturday. SU's only leads in regulation were a pair of one-point cushions early in the first quarter that comprised 64 seconds of game time. Clarion led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but the Raiders chipped away to within two points in the final minute of the first half. A late three-pointer gave the visitors a 37-32 lead at the break.
The Golden Eagles extended their advantage to 12 points after three quarters and held their largest lead of 15 points (61-46) with 9:42 left in regulation.
From there, the game turned drastically. Shippensburg shot 73 percent (11-of-15) from the field in the fourth quarter; its 29 points were the most the team has scored in a quarter this season. Only one of those 11 field goals was a three-pointer, and the team made 6-of-7 at the free-throw line to erase the deficit.
SU still trailed by nine points, 67-58, with 4:12 to go. The five-person unit of Chimienti, freshman
McKenzie Thomas, Colbert, Johns and sophomore
Mia Johnson went on a 13-4 scoring spurt – with Johns hitting a three-pointer to get SU within two, and Johnson driving for a layup to tie it, 69-69, with 1:46 left.
After a Clarion jumper, Chimienti immediately answered with a layup to make it 71-71. A Golden Eagle turnover and a Raider timeout prefaced an impressive drive to the hoop by Johnson that gave Shippensburg its first lead since the first quarter, 73-71, with 32 seconds left.
The madcap final 30 seconds of regulation featured Clarion getting fouled but only making 1-of-2 at the free-throw line. SU, leading by one, committed a turnover in the offensive end, and the Golden Eagles countered with an and-one to take a two-point lead with 13 seconds left. Colbert was then fouled on the final possession and made both her free throws, and a three-point heave at the buzzer wasn't close – resulting in SU's first overtime game at home since Jan. 21, 2023 (a 68-62 win over KU).
Clarion scored on its first two possessions of overtime to take a five-point lead but shot 1-of-9 from the field for the rest of the extra session. Shippensburg, meanwhile, made 50 percent of its shots (5-of-10) and was 9-of-10 at the free-throw line. After tying the game at 81-81 with 2:48 to go, SU closed on a 13-3 run.
Chimienti scored seven of her career-high 24 points in overtime, including a pivotal and-one layup that gave the Raiders a five-point lead with 1:46 to go. Her previous career high of 18 points came against Lincoln in the second game of the season. She was 10-of-18 from the field and added eight rebounds.
Johns entered Saturday with eight field goals for the entire season yet finished 7-of-11 off the bench, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. It was her second time in double figures this season; she scored 14 points in the season opener against No. 10 Fayetteville State. She scored 11 of her 17 points in the game's final 15 minutes.
Colbert finished with 15 points, including a career-best 9-of-10 effort at the free-throw line. Eight of her points came in the fourth quarter. She also added a team-high six assists. Her previous career high in free throws had been six on two occasions.
Senior
Abbie Miller was integral on both ends of the court, pulling down a career-best 14 rebounds. She also compiled seven points, three assists, two steals and a block before fouling out in overtime.
Sophomores
Alexis Buie and Johnson both returned from injury. Johnson was a fourth Raider in double figures, scoring 13 points and handing out three assists before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Buie delivered eight points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks; her layup with 2:26 left in overtime prefaced Chimienti's and-one.
Thomas and fellow freshman
Michelle Olak each scored five points. Olak added eight rebounds and a block.
Clarion guard Hannah Wilkerson scored a career-high 30 points on a 13-of-21 performance off the bench to pace the visitors. Point guard Zoe Guice added 17 points, seven steals and five assists while Alyssa Terza scored 10 points. The Golden Eagle bench out-scored their starters, 50-34.
Rebounding was also a major factor. SU's 57 rebounds are 15 more than its previous season high (42 at Seton Hill), and the Raiders outboarded the Golden Eagles by 21. Clarion attempted 83 field goals but made just 33, shooting 39.8 percent.
Shippensburg's 50.8 percent shooting rate (31-of-61) marks its second time over 50 percent this season, while its 94 points are 19 more than its previous season high of 75 at Seton Hill. SU's 28 free throws are its most in a game in three years (28 vs. Pitt-Johnstown on Dec. 18, 2021).
Shippensburg returns to action on New Year's Eve when it welcomes non-conference foe Chestnut Hill for a 2 p.m. tip at Heiges Field House.
