COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Celts of the University of St. Thomas won their sixth consecutive game in exciting fashion Saturday as they edged Colorado College 86-82.
In a game that featured 16 ties and 18 lead changes, the Celts (14-4, 9-2 SCAC) pulled away in the final minute to secure the victory. Both teams led for a little more than 15 minutes apiece, and neither team led by more than seven points throughout the contest.
Bresha Orange (Longview, Texas / Panola College) scored a game-high 22 points and pulled in seven rebounds to lead the Celts to victory. Sheridan Hopkins (Galveston, Texas / Ball) finished a rebound shy of a double-double, scoring 21 points and securing nine rebounds; Micayla Hamilton (Richmond, Texas / Foster) chipped in 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting and handed out six assists.
McKenzee Gertz scored 16 points and pulled in 19 rebounds to lead Colorado College (11-7), who fell to 7-4 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
The Celts led 80-76 with less than two minutes to play before the Tigers responded with consecutive baskets, the second one coming from Jordan Meltzer, who sank a layup while getting fouled with 47 seconds remaining. She then sank the ensuing free throw to give the Tigers an 81-80 lead.
Both teams exchanged turnovers three seconds apart, and the Celts got the ball back with 31 seconds showing on the clock. After two CC fouls, Bresha Orange went to the free throw line, where she sank two free throws to reclaim the lead for the Celts.
Meltzer then missed a layup on the other end of the court that was secured by Hopkins. The Tigers were forced to foul Hopkins, who went to the line to sink two free throws and stretch the Celts' lead to 84-81 with 19 seconds remaining in the game.
With seven seconds left, the Celts fouled CC's Talia Cloud, who made one out of two free throws. Hopkins came down with the rebound off the second free throw and was promptly fouled. With four seconds remaining in the game, she sank two more free throws to give the Celts their final margin of victory at 86-82.
The Celts forced 22 Tiger turnovers Saturday and turned that into a 22-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
UST's basketball teams return home for their next two home games. The Celts host Trinity (Texas) on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. The Friday doubleheader also marks UST's Celts 2 Cure games, a Coach to Cure event that helps raise awareness and research money to combat Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
