ALTOONA, Pa. – After Penn State-Altoona came back from a 13-point deficit to tie the game with 3:29 left, senior Emily Lockard (Benton, Pa. / Benton Area) took over for the Lycoming College women's basketball team, hitting the next two layups to lead the team to a 75-73 non-conference victory over Penn State Altoona, helping her finish with a career-high 20 points at Adler Arena on Wednesday night, Nov. 15.
After the Warriors (2-0 overall) led 49-36 midway through the third quarter, the Lions came back to tie it at 63-63 10 minutes later when Caitlin McCaulsky hit a 3-pointer. Lockard answered with a layup off a give from junior Meghan Dufner (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills Regional) and after a turnover, she hit again, this time on a give from sophomore Kami Abdo (Pottsville, Pa./Nativity BVM). A pair of free throws from junior Ashley Yoh (Myerstown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon County) expanded the lead to six with a minute left.
A wild last 11 seconds helped the Lions (2-1 overall) cut the lead to a pair by the end of the game, but first-year Ann-Marie McMurtrie (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley), Abdo and Dufner each hit a pair of free throws in the waning seconds to stave off a trio of 3-pointers from the Lions.
Lockard posted 20 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocks to lead the Warriors, while Dufner finished with 14 points, five assists and five steals. Junior Mya Wetzel (Frackville, Pa./North Schuylkill) added 12 points, four steals and three 3-pointers and Yoh notched 10 points and seven rebounds.
Going into the third period, the Warriors led by eight and they pushed that lead to 13 over the first seven minutes of the period, as Dufner contributed with a free throw to make it 47-34.
Penn State-Altoona started the game on a 9-2 run before Lycoming answered with seven straight, eventually taking their first lead of the game after a 3-pointer from Wetzel with 39 seconds left in the period. In the second quarter, the Warriors used nine points from Dufner to stretch a two-point deficit at the start of the period into an eight-point lead at the break.
Avana Sayles led the Lions with 24 points and six rebounds and Jaidyn McCracken posted 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
The Warriors are back on the road Saturday, Nov. 18 in a non-conference game against King's College. Tip-off is at 2 p.m.
