Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
Jan. 22, 2025 - Leading for most of the game, the North Central College women's basketball team saw their lead slip away as the Firebirds stormed back to win in overtime, 63-60, in a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin contest against Carthage College on Wednesday night inside Gregory Arena.
Megan McClure scored the first four points of the game for the Cardinals before a steal from Grace Keiffer led to a Jocelyn Trotter fastbreak layup, giving North Central an early 6-5 advantage. Josylin Simmons-Doxie scored five of the Cardinals' next 12 points to extend the lead to 20-12. Biz Daly closed out the opening quarter with a layup, putting the score at 24-16 after 10 minutes of play.
The teams traded points until McClure buried a three-pointer to give North Central a 10-point edge, 29-19. Layups from Ameli Sanchez and Daly kept the Cardinals' lead intact. Neither team scored over the final two minutes of the second quarter, and the Cardinals led 35-26.
Trotter and Simmons-Doxie combined to score the first five points of the second half. Carthage clawed their way back into the game with a 14-4 run before Trotter halted the rally with a layup following a North Central timeout. Simmons-Doxie found McClure for a layup to push the Cardinal lead back to 48-40.
Emma Thistle scored five straight points for the Firebirds before Kieffer turned a steal into a fastbreak layup. Trotter hit a jumper at the elbow, but Carthage tied the game at 56-56 with 41 seconds to play. The Cardinal defense forced a Firebird turnover, but Simmons-Doxie's layup did not fall, sending the game into overtime.
Both teams made layups early in the five-minute period. After the Firebirds retook the lead, Kieffer sank two clutch free throws to knot the game at 60. Alyssa Orozco hit a three-pointer with five seconds left to secure a 63-60 victory.
Four Cardinals scored in double figures, with Simmons-Doxie leading with 12 points. McClure, Trotter, and Kieffer each added 11. Trotter posted her fifth double-double of the season with 12 rebounds. Marianna Morrissey led Carthage with 15 points.
North Central hosts Elmhurst University (10-5, 2-5 CCIW) as the Cardinals look to complete the sweep over the Bluejays on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside Gregory Arena.
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