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WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – A buzzer-beating layup by Gina Palazzi helped lift Susquehanna University past the Lycoming College women’s basketball team, 66-65, in overtime on Monday night at Lamade Gymnasium in non-conference action.

Down by a point with 1:07 left, the Crusaders (4-3 overall) took two shots in the final minute, and when their layup attempt with seven seconds left led to a jump ball, the Crusaders were able to find an open look as time drew down, when Erika Barron, who was being double-teamed to prevent a clean look at a 14-footer, found Palazzi near the baseline and Palazzi turned and hit the game-winner as time expired.

The last-second shot spoiled one of the finest efforts of the Warriors’ season, as Lycoming (4-4 overall) held a 47-42 advantage on the glass and shot 33 percent from 3-point range, canning nine in the game to Susquehanna’s six. The Warriors also hit 89 percent (8-of-9) of their free throws, hitting the same number from the charity stripe as the Crusaders, despite taking 13 fewer free throws.

The Warriors got off to a scorching start, taking a 19-6 lead by the 9:15 mark of the first half after a five-point spurt from sophomore Leeann Randall (Audobon, Pa./Methacton). Randall keyed the run, scoring 10 points and hitting two 3-pointers.

However, the Crusaders responded with a 15-2 run that tied the game at 21 after a 3-pointer from Nikki Schneck with 4:17 left in the half. The teams fought through two more ties and four lead changes in the rest of the half before heading to the break tied at 29.

A 3-pointer from sophomore Rachael Scheller (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) helped the Warriors take a 32-29 lead early in the second half, but the Crusaders used a 14-4 run to take a 43-36 lead with 12:13 left. A 3-pointer from Scheller ended the run, but a layup from Korey McCaffrey gave Susquehanna a 47-41 lead with 7:57 left.

The Warriors worked back into the game with a jumper by freshman Julia Antonelli (Hanover, Pa./New Oxford) followed by a 3-pointer from junior Chelsea Shearer (East York, Pa./Dallastown) to cut the lead to one-point just 43 seconds later. The Crusaders got the lead back to four points with 5:31 left, but a layup from senior Kaitlyn Ober (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) was followed by two free throws from Shearer with 3:33 left to tie the game.

From there, each teams traded buckets through two lead changes and three ties in the next two minutes before a free throw from Schneck gave Susquehanna a 59-57 lead with 24 seconds left. The Warriors took a timeout to set up their play with 21 seconds left and Antonelli drove the baseline with 6.5 seconds left, drilling an off-balance layup. Susquehanna’s last second 3-pointer fell short, setting up the overtime.

Each team again worked through two lead changes early in the overtime period before a 3-pointer from Shearer put Lycoming up 65-63 with 1:43 left. After a missed jumper by each team, Schneck hit the front end of a pair of free throws, setting up the dramatic finish.

Scheller notched her second straight double-double, posting 14 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals in 40 minutes and Randall added a career-high 14 points to go with four rebounds and a career-high four assists. Freshman Jessica Knott (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) added a career-high 10 points and Ober posted eight points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Shearer also added eight points, two rebounds, a block and a steal. Antonelli also posted six points, four rebounds and three assists.

Schneck led the Crusaders with 14 points, as she hit all four of her 3-point attempts, and six rebounds. Barron posted a double-double of 10 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. Rachael Hughes finished with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists and Palazzi finished with 10 points.

The Warriors will look to get back on the winning side of the ledge on Thursday when they head to King’s for a 7 p.m. game.