Bizarre ending costs Chapman its fifth straight loss

ORANGE, Calif. – Looking to snap a four-game skid – its longest since 2009 – the Chapman University women's basketball team lost another heartbreaker 73-71 to visiting Coe College (Iowa) on Saturday night at the Hutton Sports Center. The Panthers fell to 0-3 on their home court this season and have lost all three game by four points or less.

To add insult to injury, the way the Panthers lost was unexpected and bizarre. With 1.1 seconds left in the game and the score tied at 71, the Chapman bench was called for a technical foul for having a sixth player late to run off the floor before the in-bound pass. Coe (6-4) capitalized on the rare mishap by sinking both free throws to turn an overtime-bound game into a win and dealt the Panthers their fifth straight loss.

As losing streaks go, Chapman last lost five in a row to begin the 2009-10 season but has not had a six-game losing streak since dropping seven straight during the 1993-94 campaign.

The game was close throughout the affair, but particularly over the final 12 minutes when neither team led by more than three points. In that span, the lead changed hands six times and was tied seven times.

Sophomore G Megan Charles nailed a clutch basket with 58 seconds remaining to give Chapman a 71-69 lead, but the Kohawks got the equalizer with 6.7 seconds remaining on a put-back layup by Jenna Lehman after a three-attempt by Mickey Hansche went just long. The game appeared to be headed for overtime after a Panther turnover gave Coe the ball with just over a second to spare, until the technical was called.

Hansche and G Aleena Hobbs led all scorers with 16 points apiece for Coe. Hobbs added a team-high seven rebounds and three assists.

Chapman was led by senior C Ivory Hallstein who earned her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Charles and senior PG Andrea Villanueva each pitched in 11 points for the Panthers. Villanueva also added six assists and three steals.

The Chapman women will break for the Christmas holiday before returning to the Hutton floor on Dec. 29 to host Bristol University at 8:30 p.m. as part of the Panther-Bulldog Classic in Orange.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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