SCRANTON, PA – Olivia Simser nailed a three with .8 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Houghton Highlanders past the Marywood Pacers to complete a stunning comeback, 69-66.
 
The Pacers came out of the gates at the full sprint, scoring the game's first 11 points.  The Highlanders settled in after the initial barrage, but trailed by nine entering the second quarter.
 
The next 20 minutes played to a dead heat, and the teams entered the final quarter with the Pacers leading, 48-39.
 
With 30 seconds to play, Marywood still held a commanding seven-point lead.  Then the miraculous happened.
 
Crysta LaCrosse hit a layup to pull the Highlanders within five.  Keely Mullins then picked the pocket of her opponent and found LaCrosse for a three to put the Highlanders within two.
 
With only nine seconds on the clock, the Pacers called timeout and advanced the ball past midcourt.  But Marywood could not find an open player and earned a five-second violation, giving the ball back to the Highlanders.
 
The Pacers quickly fouled Tabitha DeVries in an attempt to earn the final shot, in case she sank both free throws.  DeVries did her part, and a last-second second-chance layup at the opposite end was waved off as it was released after the final buzzer.
 
In overtime, the teams traded leads, with neither team leading by more than three at any point.
 
With 23 second left on the clock, DeVries hit a baby-hook in the lane to tie the game and the Pacers missed a layup at the other end.  Finally, with the clock ticking off the final second, LaCrosse found Simser in the corner for the three-point dagger to win the game.  
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 69 | Marywood – 66 (OT)
Records: Houghton: 3-0 |Marywood: 1-3  
Venue: Insalaco Arena, Marywood University| Attendance: 123

NOTABLE STATS
>> In 28 minutes apiece, LaCrosse and DeVries both went 6-for-11 from the floor.  LaCrosse finished with 18 points, seven assists and four rebounds, shooting 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.  DeVries scored 16 points, finishing 4-for-4 from the line.
 
LaCrosse continues her pursuit of both 1,000 career points and the Houghton career assist record.  Her final basket of today's game gave her 901 points, and she currently has 334 career assists, which ties her with Sarah Tooley (1998-02) for fifth on the all-time assist board.  Wendy Ivey (1997-01) holds the all-time assist record with 407.
 
>> Simser finished with 13 points and five rebounds. 
 
>> After shooting only 27 percent from the floor in the first quarter, the Highlanders shot 41 percent over the final three quarters.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders travel to Hamburg, New York thus upcoming Wednesday, November 19, when they will challenge the Hilbert Hawks at 5:00 p.m.