REDLANDS, Calif. -
Tanya Ghai tied the score with two free throws with nine seconds left, and then hit a key basket with 44 seconds left in overtime as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team secured at least a second seed in the SCIAC Tournament with a 76-71 overtime win at Redlands on Wednesday evening in its regular season finale.
With the win, CMS moves to 18-7 overall and finishes 12-4 in the SCIAC, leaving the Athenas a half-game behind Cal Lutheran (12-3), which closes out the season with Occidental on Saturday. An Occidental win would give the Athenas a share of the regular season title.
CMS trailed 31-24 at the half, but dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 19-7.
Caleigh Edwards had six of her game-high 17 points in the third for the Athenas.
Redlands was able to get back even at 52-52 with three minutes left on two foul shots from AJ Wick, but Ghai put CMS ahead with a jumper with 1:30 to go. Two Ghai free throws with 47 seconds left put CMS ahead 56-53, before Redlands tied it with a three-pointer.
A double foul was called with nine seconds left, and Colbi Zorich made two shots for Redlands to make the score 58-56, and then Ghai answered with two for the Athenas to knot it back up. The Bulldogs were unable to get a winning shot up in the final seconds, sending CMS to its seventh overtime game of the season.
Payton Sugar knocked down a three-pointer to give CMS a 61-60 lead in the extra session, but Redlands responded to go back in front 62-61. Edwards hit two foul shots, and
Laura Strenk followed with a driving layup to make it a 65-62 CMS lead. With the score 67-66 and the shot clock winding down, Ghai hit a pull-up jumper in the paint with 44 seconds left in overtime to give CMS a three-point lead.
Edwards then had a key defensive play with a steal and made two foul shots, and Ghai secured a defensive rebound to seal the win.
The victory sends CMS on to the SCIAC Tournament as a top two seed, and it will host a semifinal game on Thursday against an opponent to be determined.
