FREDONIA, NY— Trailing by a point with just over a minute to play in overtime, Keely Mullins drained a three-pointer that put the Houghton Highlanders up for good, as they picked up a road win at Fredonia State, 80-74.
 
The Highlanders trailed by as many as seven points with less than five minutes to play in the game, but clawed their way back to within three with less than a minute left on the clock.
 
With 46 seconds remaining, Mullins hit a layup to pull Houghton within a point, 64-63. 
 
Then, with 1.6 seconds left to play, the Highlanders missed the go-ahead shot and fouled to stay alive, sending Fredonia to the line.  The Blue Devils missed the front-end shot, but hit the second. 
 
Houghton called timeout and advanced the ball to midcourt for one final play.
 
Mullins started at the top of the key, cut around a backdoor pick toward the basket and Crysta LaCrosse lofted a perfect pass that Mullins sank at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.
 
The teams traded leads over the initial minutes of the extra period, until Mullins kick-started the late surge by the Highlanders.
 
Mullins shattered her previous best of 17 points with a 30-point, 12-rebound, six-assist night. 
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 80 | Fredonia State – 74 (OT)
Records: Houghton: 7-0 | Fredonia State: 5-3
Venue: Dods Hall, SUNY Fredonia | Attendance: 73

NOTABLE STATS
>> Known for their deadly three-point-shooting, entering tonight's matchup, the fewest three-pointers the Highlanders sank in a game was eight, which had happened twice this season.  The Blue Devils limited the Houghton long-range attack to only 3-of-21 (14%) from beyond the arc. 
 
>> Tabitha DeVries logged her first double-double of the season, collecting 20 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots.
 
>> Crysta LaCrosse scored 15 points and added six assists. She now has 959 career points and 351 career assists, moving her past Charity O'Connor (1994-97) into fourth place on the all-time Houghton women's basketball leader board.  She trails third-place-holder, Alicia (Campbell) Mucher (1998-00, 01-03) by nine assists.
 
>> Jakeira Stackhouse led the Blue Devils with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"I'm very proud of this team in many ways.  They are an extremely selfless group that loves each other.  That is the reason they are able to figure out how to win these close games.  

"At no point in the game did I see panic or doubt on anyone's face or body language.  This group believes in one another, which is powerful.

"Fredonia is a very hard team to play against on the road, and we were able to figure out how to win, even when the three-pointers weren't falling.  I'm excited for another challenge [against Buffalo State] on Saturday." - Head Coach Phil Pellegrino

UP NEXT
The Highlanders travel to Buffalo this Saturday, where they will take on the Buffalo State Bengals at 2:00 p.m.  In the last matchup between the two teams, Houghton pulled out a 76-35 victory on November 26, 2024.