Upset bid comes up just short against No. 6 Amherst

ORANGE, Calif. – Facing the third top-10 lead in the last three weeks, the Chapman University women's basketball team fell 62-58 to No. 6 Amherst to start the new year. Both teams put up strong defensive efforts in a game that came down to the final moments.

The upset-minded Panthers were out in front for the majority of the game but were outscored 9-3 in the final two minutes of the game as the upset fell just short. Amherst shot just 37.7 percent in the game while Chapman shot 32.2 percent. The Mammoths were 12-for-15 from the free throw line, including Courtney Resch knocking down all four of her free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.

The Panthers led 17-16 at the end of the first quarter and 35-31 at halftime. After falling behind for a moment in the third, the Panthers reclaimed the lead and senior Marissa Dunn knocked down all three free throws when she was fouled on a last second shot to go up 47-43.

The teams traded baskets until the midway point of the fourth when Madeline Eck tied up the game at 52-52. After the Panthers came up empty on the next trip down the floor, Hannah Fox hit one of her two free throws to give Amherst its first lead of the quarter.

Sophomore Julianna Campas knocked down a clutch three-pointer with 2:07 remaining to give Chapman the lead back at 55-53. Amherst tied the game back up at 55-55 and then forced a turnover on the Panthers' next trip. Courtney Resch hit a three-pointer for Amherst with 21 seconds to go for a 58-55 lead.

Sophomore Brittany McPherson drove to the rim to put in a layup with 12 seconds left but Resch hit four free throws as the Panthers were forced to foul in the closing seconds to clinch the victory.

Dunn led the Panthers with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists while fellow senior Lucy Criswell had 10 points to go along with seven rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot. Campas also had 10 points.

Eck led the Mammoths with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Resch was just 3-for-10 in the game but scored 14 points to go along with eight rebounds. Maggie Shipley scored 12 of Amherst's 21 bench points while the Panthers had just eight points off the bench.

The Panthers closed out their non-conference schedule with the loss to Amherst and fell for the third straight game. They look to bounce back when SCIAC play opens again on Saturday. Chapman hosts Pomona-Pitzer at 4 p.m. in the second game on SCIAC doubleheader.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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