The Oswego State women's basketball team began the New Year by outlasting Nazareth College 64-58 in overtime on Monday night in Max Ziel Gymnasium. Oswego improves to 3-7 on the year while the Golden Flyers fall to the .500 threshold (4-4).
In a game where Oswego led for over 27 of a possible 40 minutes in regulation, it would need last-second heroics to force an extra period. Nazareth tallied a layup with 2.3 seconds remaining to go ahead 52-50. After a Laker timeout advanced the ball to mid-court, the home team executed a drawn play to near perfection. Alison Nunziato inbounded the ball in front of Oswego's bench and found Rachael Windhausen streaking to the hoop behind her defender. Windhausen came up short on her first layup attempt but had the wherewithal to collect the offensive board and sink the second change as the buzzer sounded.
During the overtime, it was all Oswego to start, outscoring Nazareth 6-0 over the first 2:25 to gain control that it would not relinquish.
Overtime began in much the same way that regulation did, as the Lakers opened Monday's tilt on a 9-0 run and did not allow a Golden Flyer field-goal until more than five minutes of game-time had elapsed. That run gave way to Oswego's greatest lead of the game, posting a 13-point margin at 18-5 with 2:15 left in the first quarter. Nazareth's largest advantage was five points with 6:01 remaining in regulation but the Lakers strung together five-straight points to even the game at 46-46.
Oswego was paced by Heather Hebert's double-double, posting a game-high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Also scoring in double-figures were Courtney Ameele (17) and Mary Mazzella (11). Mazzella led the team with four steals and four assists as well. Ameele was close behind in both categories, finish with three of each.
Windhausen was a force on the glass, collecting a game-high 12 rebounds while missing a double-double by just one point. The sophomore also filled the stat sheet with three blocks, one steal and one assist.
The Lakers won the rebounding category 50-42 over Nazareth, including 20-15 on the offensive glass. Oswego capitalized on the offensive boards, converting those into 24 second-chance points, compared to just nine for the Golden Flyers.
Next on the slate for the Lakers is Oneonta at 7:30 p.m. on Friday when Oswego hosts the Red Dragons in a SUNYAC matchup.
