Feb. 20, 2010
Box Score
SLIPPERY ROCK - Bethany Caudill's 3-pointer with 12.1 seconds left lifted Slippery Rock to a come-from-behind 80-79 win over Clarion in PSAC-West women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at Slippery Rock's Morrow Field House.
The Golden Eagles had a final chance to win following a pair of timeouts - one by each team - but Rachel Skolny's short jumper from seven feet was short as time expired.
The loss could end Clarion's PSAC Playoff hopes. The Golden Eagles entered the day two games back of Edinboro with three to play. The Fighting Scots play at California Saturday night and a win by Edinboro will eliminate the Golden Eagles from playoff contention. If Edinboro loses Saturday night, Clarion will still be alive but would need Edinboro to lose Wednesday vs. IUP while Clarion beats Lock Haven setting up a Clarion at Edinboro showdown next Saturday.
The loss marred another unbelievable performance by senior Lizzie Suwala who netted a career-high 33 points, her sixth game of 20 or more points in her last seven outings and her second of over 30. Suwala was 10 of 15 from the field and 8 of 10 from 3-point range. The eight 3-pointers are tied for the second most in a game in school history, and the 80 percent from 3-point range is the best in school history when taking 10 or more triples.
After losing a nine-point, 41-32, halftime lead, Clarion led by four, 79-75, with 1:26 to play. But a Rachel Graeff turnover led to a breakaway basket by Grace Palucis with 25 seconds left that brought The Rock to within two at 79-77. Suwala, who entered the game No. 1 in the PSAC and No. 2 in the nation in free-throw shooting, missed the front-end of a 1-and-1 with 24 seconds to play with the rebound going out of bounds off a Clarion player.
Then, following a Golden Eagle timeout, Slippery Rock found Caudill open at the upper right-side of the arc and she buried the 3-pointer to give The Rock the lead.
After taking the nine-point halftime lead, Clarion got the lead to as many as 12, 46-34, early in the second half and still led by 11, 49-38, with 16 minutes to play.
But Slippery Rock went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to three, 49-46, with13:11 to play. The Golden Eagles answered and went back ahead seven, 53-46, with 12:30 left.
The Rock had the answer again going on a 14-2 run to take a 60-55 lead with 8:27 to play.
Clarion answered back with a 9-0 run of its own to go back in front 64-60 with 7:06 to play before Slippery Rock answered to take a 65-64 lead 1:30 later.
The game was then tied at 67 with just under six to play before Clarion regained the lead on a Bethany Koch layup with 4:05 left and held between a four- and one-point advantage until Caudill's game winner.
Koch added 18 points and eight rebounds for Clarion, while Graeff had eight points and eight assists and Sara Pratt eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Slippery Rock had five players in double figures led by 19 points from Julie Molloy. Palucis and Caudill each added 13 points with Nikki Presto adding 12 points and Chere' Marshall 10 points.
Clarion hosts Lock Haven in its home finale at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
NOTES - Suwala is now four points shy of 1,000 in her career. She has 824 at Clarion after recording 172 at IUP before transferring ... Clarion has now lost three PSAC-West games by one possession. The Golden Eagles fell to Mercyhurst 61-58 Jan. 27 and to IUP 84-83 Feb. 7 ... Suwala's previous career high was 31 vs. California Feb. 11. She is averaging 21.3 ppg during PSAC-West play and 18.7 ppg on the year.
