Last second three catapults Bears to win

A Halsey Ward three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining lifted Washington to a 73-72 win over Wilmington Friday night at DePauw and set up a rematch of last year's Division III championship game with the host Tigers.

In a game marked by a number of big runs, it looked at different points like either team might run away with the game.

The Bears (19-7) went on a run midway through the first, forcing Wilmington turnovers and extending the lead to 20-11.

Wilmington (21-8) battled back, though, largely on the strength of of Forward Katie Streck, who scored 10 of her team's points in a row at one point.

Steck's three-point play with 33 seconds remaining in the half tied the game at 35, a score that would hold until the break.

At the outset of the second, it was more Wilmington as the Quakers made the first three buckets of the half. A Marianne McGoron three-point play made the lead 43-35 just two minutes in.

The lead grew even more, though, with Wilmington leading by as much as 11.

Like Washigton in the first, it looked like Wilmington would run away with the game.

The Bears whittled away at the lead, though, and retook the lead on a Ward three-pointer with 8:10 remaining.

The two teams were tied once more and traded the lead two more times down the stretch, but a timeout with 18 seconds remaining set up the final play for Ward.

Janice Evans led the Bears with 22 points. Zoe Unruh, Ward and Shanna-Lei Dacanay were also in double figures.

Gina Hyle led Wilmington with 24 points. Streck and Kortney Kin were also in double figures.

Washington will play DePauw at 7 p.m. today at Neal Fieldhouse.

At Neal Fieldhouse

NCAA Division III Women's Tournament

First Round

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY 73, WILMINGTON COLLEGE 72

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (19-7) -- Janice Evans 9-19 4-8 22; Zoe Unruh 6-12 0-0 14; Halsey Ward 4-8 0-0 12; Shanna-Lei Dacanay 4-11 0-1 10; Alex Hoover 3-7 0-2 6; Jill Brandt 2-7 0-0 6; Kelsey Robb 1-3 0-1 2; Kathryn Berger 0-1 1-2 1; Sarah Tibesar 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-69 5-14 73.

WILMINGTON COLLEGE (21-8) -- Gina Hyle 9-19 4-5 24; Katie Streck 7-13 3-3 17; Kortney Kin 3-6 3-3 10; Marianne McGoron 2-8 3-3 7; Jackie Hauke 2-6 0-0 5; Allie Meranda 1-2 1-2 4; Kristin Bingley 1-2 0-0 3; Steph Prechtel 1-1 0-0 2; Anne Haky 0-1 0-1 0; Shawnae Adams 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-58 14-17 72.

3-point goals--Washington 10-18 (Ward 4-7; Unruh 2-4; Dacanay 2-4; Brandt 2-3), Wilmington 6-17 ( Hyle2-5; Meranda 1-2; Kin 1-1; Hauke 1-4; Bingley 1-2; Haky 0-1; McGoron 0-1; Streck 0-1). Fouled out--Washington-None, Wilmington-None. Rebounds--Washington 34 (Evans 10), Wilmington 40 (Streck 10).