In a game that featured nine lead changes and eight ties, the final margin was the one the Hillsdale College women's basketball team wanted Saturday afternoon.
The Chargers held Trevecca Nazarene University to just 28 second-half points in a 69-65 win on Alumni Day at the Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena. Hillsdale's win, its third in a row, makes it 12-7 overall and 10-5 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The win also avenges an 11-point loss to the Trojans in Nashville back in November.
Hillsdale trailed 37-34 at halftime, but immediately went on a 7-0 run to open the third quarter to take a 41-37 lead. Junior guard Allie Dewire, who would figure largely in the game's finish, hit two jump shots, one of them a 3-pointer, to get the run going.
The Trojans took a brief one-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Chargers again responded, scoring six in a row to take the lead for good. Hillsdale did an excellent job of holding onto the lead, and holding off any run the Trojans attempted to gain momentum and the lead.
Dewire made three free throws in the game's final minute to keep the Chargers on top, including two swishes with nine seconds left that lifted Hillsdale's lead from two to four points. She put together another good performance with 11 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
Once again, the all-around skills of junior forward Makenna Ott were on display, as she once again helped engineer a big Hillsdale win with excellent play in all aspects of the game. She played 38 minutes and led the team with 21 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while not picking up a single foul in the game. She was 8-for-16 from the field and drained four 3-point baskets. Ott's steadiness and consistency have turned her into one of the G-MAC's best small forwards.
Senior center Allie Dittmer overcame early foul trouble with 14 points and 3 boards. Freshman guard Jaycie Burger scored 9 points and had 4 rebounds and 4 assists while playing 35 minutes in the victory. Senior Maddy Reed chipped in with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists as the Chargers put forth another well-balanced winning effort.
Hillsdale outrebounded Trevecca 44-31 and had 7 steals as a team in the win.