The Niagara College Women's Basketball Program won their biggest game of the season in front of a large and boisterous crowd at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre on Thursday night. The 75-63 overtime victory over the Mohawk Mountaineers moves the Knights ahead of Mohawk into sole possession of the sixth and final playoff spot in the OCAA West Division.
The back and forth affair saw the Knights play some of their strongest basketball of 2013, and Head Coach Ron Lemon credited the victory "to the seven players that played significant minutes in the game."
Four players finished in double digit scoring for Niagara, with fifth-year guard Alanna Arundell leading the way with a game high 23 points.
Coach Lemon felt his team's ability to outrebound and make clutch foul shots proved to be the difference in the contest. Second-year center Kaitlyn McPherson was crucial for the Knights in both categories. The Welland, Ontario native grabbed 14 rebounds and converted late foul shot attempts to finish with 19 total points.
Coach Lemon felt the victory was "big for us. It's a four point swing in the standings, and puts us in the middle of the fourth, fifth, and sixth place playoff picture."
The Knights also received a solid outing from second-year forward Miranda Ross. The six-foot-one St. Catharines native finished one rebound short of a double-double, recording 14 points and nine rebounds.
With the team in the middle of a tight and competitive playoff race, Coach Lemon feels that his team's "next four games are huge. We need to go out and play hard every night to get into the playoffs."
The Knights will return to the court on Friday, February 8th at 6:00pm when the team hosts the Fanshawe Falcons at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre.
Admission to all Niagara College Varsity Athletics is free, and all games are live broadcasted and archived at www.sportslive.ca.
