(Ann Arbor, MI) - #4 seed Concordia women's basketball hosted #5 Cornerstone on Thursday night in a WHAC quarterfinal. The game went right down to the final seconds, but the Golden Eagles came away with a 78-76 win.
Taylor Leatherman led the team with 19 points and 8 rebounds. Izzy Hadley finished second with 15 points. Emily McCalla (13), Samantha Dorn (12) and Zaria Mitchner (12) were all in double figures.
Samantha Dorn finished an "and-1" for the first Cardinal points. Taylor Leatherman and Ellie Kallner drove for layups and Emily McCalla drained a 3-pointer. Izzy Hadley drove to the basket and Leatherman added a triple. Zaria Mitchner scored on a quick drive and Taylor Leatherman's third 3-pointer put CUAA up 20-16 after the 1st.
Cornerstone tied the game 20-20 but Zaria Mitchner drove for a go-ahead layup. Keirslynn Lawless banked in a jumper and Taylor Leatherman converted an "and-1". The lead kept shifting with Izzy Hadley making free throws and Samantha Dorn hitting a triple. Zaria Mitchner made a jumper and Emily McCalla knocked down a late triple, putting CUAA up 38-34 at halftime.
Samantha Dorn made a 3-pointer early in the 3rd. Izzy Hadley drove for a quick layup and Taylor Leatherman finished another "and-1". Hadley and Zaria Mitchner made jumpers with the lead continuing to shift. Izzy Hadley had a quick buzzer-beating triple to tie the game 54-54 after the 3rd.
Zaria Mitchner had go-ahead free throws to start the 4th. Taylor Leatherman drove for a layup, but Cornerstone took a 64-58 lead with 6:28 left. Samantha Dorn hit a triple and the Cardinals kept fighting to stay in striking distance. Four free throws from Emily McCalla trimmed the deficit to 72-71.
Zaria Mitchner took a key charge late in the game, leading to free throws from Izzy Hadley. Trailing 76-73, Emily McCalla came up huge again for her team. McCalla jumped the inbound pass, made a steal, and drained a 3-pointer to tie the game and electrify the Cardinal crowd.
Cornerstone was able to make two key free throws to regain and hold their lead for a 78-76 win.