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Ohio Wesleyan 88, Denison 82 (12/5/2001)

Ohio Wesleyan jumped to a big early lead and withstood a furious Denison comeback to nip the Big Red in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Wednesday at Branch Rickey Arena.

Paced by the triumverate of senior post Katy Sturtz (Worthington/Columbus Watterson), senior guard Michelle Wolfe (Gahanna/Lincoln) and freshman wing Kelly Heil (Sylvania/Southview), the Bishops did little wrong in the first half. Ohio Wesleyan never trailed and broke a 7-7 tie with a run of 9 straight points, with Sturtz scoring on a putback and Wolfe and Heil each draining 3-pointers before Heil sank a free throw with 13:24 left in the half.

Ohio Wesleyan built the lead to 35-19 with 4:54 to play before Denison got 3 free throws by Meghan Overom and a 3-pointer by Jessica McConnell to close within 35-25.

But, just as quickly, the Bishops pulled ahead again. Sturtz scored a fast break bucket immediately after McConnell's 3-pointer, then added a putback later in the run before Wolfe drilled a 3-pointer to hike the Ohio Wesleyan lead to 44-25 with 2:31 to play.

Denison got a 3-point play by Michelle Mehling with :00.1 left in the first half to cut the margin to 46-30.

Still, the numbers were largely in Ohio Wesleyan's favor. The Bishops shot 61 percent from the field in the first half to 33 percent for Denison. Ohio Wesleyan outrebounded the Big Red, 24-13.

Ohio Wesleyan threatened to put the game out of reach early in the second half when Sturtz and sophomore post Tiffany Barbee (Detroit, Mich./Cass Technical) each scored 4 points during an 8-0 burst that gave the Bishops a 58-37 lead with 14:15 to play.

But Denison continued to turn up the intensity on defense, and gradually the Big Red shooters started to find the range. Danielle Spring and Michelle Mehling hit 3-pointers to start the Big Red comeback, and after the teams traded points twice, an 8-0 Denison run fueled by a Mehling 3-point play and a 3-ball by Kendra Tolford brought the Big Red back to within 64-55 with 10:30 to go.

The Bishops answered with baskets from Sturtz, junior post Mindy Hammond (Columbus/DeSales) and Heil to keep Ohio Wesleyan ahead by 11 with 8:39 to go.

But Denison assembled another run, holding Ohio Wesleyan scoreless from the field while the Big Red got 3 buckets from the paint during a 10-2 spurt the cut the deficit to 72-69 with 4:49 to play.

When Spring added a steal and lay-in to pull Denison within 75-73 with 4:08 to play, it appeared as though the Big Red would be able to pull off a miracle comeback, but Wolfe's 3-point play off a putback basket helped quell the Big Red rally.

Spring sank 2 more 3-pointers as Denison came within 80-79 with 1:47 left, but Hammond answered with 2 free throws and Heil hit a fast break lay-in to give the Bishops an 84-79 cushion.

Tolford hit a 3-pointer with :11.2 left to pull Denison within 85-82, but that was the last gasp for the Big Red as Heil was fouled immediately and buried both free throws to give Ohio Wesleyan an 87-82 lead with :10.3 to play.

Sturtz led the Bishops with 26 points and added 8 rebounds. Heil followed with 23 points and Wolfe finished with 15 points. Hammond scored 11 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and led the Bishops with 6 assists, and Barbee finished with 10 points and led the Bishops with 9 boards.

Spring led Denison with 20 points and 9 rebounds, while Tolford and Laci Ford had 12 points apiece and Mehling and Ann Staubach each scored 11 points.