Bri Radtke drives to the basket. (Brian Fowler, SportPix)
Molly Geske makes a pass. (Brian Fowler, SportPix)
Colleen Ruane brings the ball up the floor. (Brian Fowler, SportPix)
Julia Schultz looks to dribble past a Piper defender. (Brian Fowler, SportPix)
The Gustavus women’s basketball team battled Hamline for 40 minutes, but the Gusties could not get enough shots to drop and the result was a disappointing 68-62 loss to the Pipers. It was the first loss of the season for Gustavus on its home court. Brianna Radtke and Molly Mathiowetz scored 19 points each to lead the Gusties, who fell to 14-7 overall and 12-6 in the MIAC.
Neither team could separate itself from the other in the first half and the Pipers six-point lead at 10-4 at the 14:03 mark was the biggest lead of the half for either team. In the final 14 minutes of the half, there were seven ties and seven lead changes. Jessica Heinen’s three-point basket with :45 left on the clock gave the Pipers a three-point 30-27 lead at the intermission.
Hamline used a 6-1 run to take a five-point lead at 36-31 with 17:45 to play. Gustavus countered with an 8-3 run to tie the score at 44-44 with 13:49 left on the clock. The Pipers scored on their next possession and would not trail the rest of the game. The Gusties got to within three points on a layup by Bri Radtke with 1:27 left to play, but Hamline was able to hit several key free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win.
Three Gustavus players reached double figures in scoring including Bri Radtke and Molly Mathiowetz with 19 each, and Molly Geske with 10. Hamline was led by Rochelle Sather with 16 points.
The Gusties will travel to Northfield on Wednesday to face St. Olaf.