Bay College SID Mike Pankow coontributed to this report. Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and to hear post-game comments from Makenna Hendrickson and Coach James Fassett. Also click to hear Hendrickson's halftime interview.
ESCANABA – The Bay College Norse women's basketball team shocked the 12th-ranked team in the country on Saturday, beating the Rock Valley (Ill.) Golden Eagles, 67-65, at the Bay College Gym.
The Golden Eagles struggled at the free throw line down the stretch, and the Norse took advantage with a clutch basket in the closing seconds by Makenna Hendrickson, off a pinpoint pass from Nina Bower onto the baseline.
The game featured 15 ties and 15 lead changes and neither team held a lead of more than eight points throughout.
Rock Valley grabbed their biggest lead of the game right off the bat as the Norse offense was slow to start and the Golden Eagles jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Bay wasted no time tying the game and wound up with a 10-9 lead after one period of play.
The teams traded the lead in the second quarter, but RVC tied it with a free throw with three seconds left. The Norse got the ball up the court quickly and McKenzie Hoffmeyer made it pay off as she buried a three as the buzzer rang out, giving the Norse a 29-26 lead at intermission.
Bay used that momentum to get things going in the third. They were able to stretch their lead to six, but could not pull away.
With the Norse leading 38-32, Rock Valley went on a run to reclaim control of the matchup. A 14-3 stretch put the Golden Eagles up three in the late stages of the third period and they would hold a 50-49 lead going into the final ten minutes.
With time winding down the teams exchanged baskets late. The Norse tied it at 65 with just over 30 seconds to play. Rock Valley missed on opportunity in the next possession but were able to get an offensive rebound and draw the foul. They would miss from the free throw line on both opportunities and Bay would rebound and get a timeout that allowed them to move the ball up the court with ten seconds left.
Rock Valley's last gasp came at the free throw line on the last possession, and they once again missed both opportunities, sealing the upset victory for Bay College.
Rock Valley not only left crucial points at the charity stripe at the end of the game, but free throw issues haunted them throughout as they would go nine of 23 on free throws. The Golden Eagles ended up just two of 17 from behind three point line after going 19 of 59 the day before in a runaway victory over Alpena.
Lauren Zawada ended with a double-double in the contest, picking up 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Norse. Hendrickson had 17 points and nine rebounds, while Hoffmeyer finished with 14 points and five assists.
The Golden Eagles were led by Amadea Montijo who had 18 points and five rebounds. Jazelle Young was credited with 14 points and seven rebounds, while DeNiya Gary had 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals.
