BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Coach
Chancellor Dugan hoped the No. 9 Bellarmine University women's basketball team's seniors would be the driving force in the Knights' season debut against Ferris State, but it was a freshman who played a major role in a 94-93 overtime victory Friday over the Bulldogs.
Freshman guard
Mikayla Berry scored a team-high 18 points and combined with junior guard
Raven Merriweather in the extra frame to spark visiting Bellarmine (1-0) to a heart-stopping win over Ferris State (0-1), which got 33 points and 11 rebounds from Rachel McInerney. Merriweather scored 16 points, senior forward
Sarah Galvin posted 17 and nine rebounds, sophomore center
Ally Mayhaus chipped in 12 and nine rebounds, and senior guard
Whitney Hartlage added 10 points and seven assists.
Ferris State was in position for the upset after taking a 90-87 lead with 1:23 left, but Berry, who had converted a traditional three-play shortly before, grabbed an offensive rebound and found Merriweather for a tying 3-pointer. The Knights took the lead when Mayhaus stole the ball, and Hartlage found Merriweather for the go-ahead basket with 38 seconds left.
Ferris State missed a jump shot to tie, and Berry secured the rebound. She made a free throw with 10 seconds left and got the rebound after missing the second. Berry was again fouled and iced the win after sinking the first free throw for a 94-90 lead with 8 seconds left. Ferris State hit a 3-pointer as time expired to make its final deficit only one.
With 28 seconds left in regulation, Bellarmine held a 79-76 lead, but the Knights missed three of four free throws and Ferris State knotted it at 80 with 9 seconds remaining. Two of those misses came from Berry, who redeemed herself with clutch play in the overtime.
The game was tight throughout and saw 11 ties. Junior forward
Beth Bowers had eight points and sophomore center
Liza Tibbs contributed six as they combined with Berry and Hartlage to give the Knights a 42-24 advantage in bench points.
Berry and Merriweather buried a trio of 3-pointers apiece as Bellarmine made nine from long range to four for Ferris State. That helped to offset the Bulldogs' 52.2 percent shooting. The Knights were at 42.9 percent.
Bellarmine plays Wayne State at Ferris State at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday.
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