Midcon Women's tournament Day 3

Game 1: Oakland Lady Grizzlies vs. IUPUI Lady Jaguars

Oakland pretty well dominated this game but IUPUI kept it interesting enough to stay within striking distance. Oakland's defense was very stifling and IUPUI did not shoot very well. The Jags did improve offensively as the game went on. Their perimeter shooters finally started finding the basket with their shots. Julie Whitted played a few minutes and while she got a couple of easy baskets on offense, she was hacking away on defense and getting called for fouls.

The Jags cut the lead to as few as 11 at one point, but Oakland never let the game get away from them. Any kind of run by the Jags was always met with points from the Grizz. The final deficit was about 20 points or so.

Game 2: Valpo Lady Crusaders vs. ORU Lady Eagles

If ORU plays the way they did yesterday, they could be in for a long afternoon. If they step up their game from the start, they could give the Crusaders a very good fight.

One indication of the titanic struggle to come was that ORU started their fight song while Valpo was still playing theirs.

Prior to tipoff, ORU president Richard Roberts came by with a very cordial message for VU president Alan Harre, stressing that they understand why Valpo is leaving for the HL and they wish Valpo nothing but the best. President Harre said the feeling was very mutual and the reason for leaving was travel logistics, nothing more, that Valpo cherished its rivalry with ORU.

2 quick fouls on Voelker and Valpo jumped out to a 5-0 lead on a Carrie Myers 3 before Turek got a bucket in the paint and Rachel Watman drained a 3 to tie it at 5. Braun swatted Turek next time down the court and Carrie Myers missed her second 3 attempt. At the first media timeout it was 5-5.

Launa Hochstetler fell down and Rachel Watman hit a 3, followed by an illegal screen by Tamra Braun. Jenny Hardin drove to the bucket on Whitney Farris, drawing the foul. She hit 1 of 2.

After sputtering a bit, Aimee Litka hit a 3 from downtown to pull Valpo within 1, but Hardin scored a 3 pt. play off Whitney Farris, who is struggling a bit. At the 2nd media timeout it was ORU 12 Valpo 8.

For the next 4 minutes, Valpo continued to struggle and Marianne Comargo, heretofore known as "non-shooter that no one guards on the perimeter" hit 2 straight 3s. At the 3rd media timeout, ORU 22 Valpo 9.

Now Sarah Davidson is hitting 3s. ORU is hot, and Valpo is cold, even from the FT line. This one is fast getting ugly.

Valpo made a slight run to pull within 10. Carrie Myers hit a 3, Betsy Reitema hit a basket in the lane, and Turek traveled twice. 3rd media timeout, ORU 27 Valpo 17.

Agie hit a 3 and Krystal Taylor drained 2 FTs and suddenly the lead was down to 5. Valpo missed a couple of shots to cut it to 3 or 2. ORU had the ball with 19.4 to go off a Litka airball. Valpo held and got one last chance with 2.3 to go, but could not convert. Halftime score: ORU 29 Valpo 24.

Valpo pulled closer for a moment as the 2nd half began, but ORU recovered to a 6 pt. lead. Comargo got her 4th and Betsy Rietema hit a jumper, but Watman ddrained a 3 to take the lead back up to 7. A give and go to Krystal Taylor cut it to 5. Turek hit two FTs, but Betsy Reitema drew Volker's 4th foul and hit both FTs to keep it at 5. Hardin got loose in the lane, and hit the bucket with a foul on Braun. The FT put ORU up by 8. At the 2nd media timeout: ORU 46 Valpo 38.

Reitema hit a bucket from the FT line to cut it to 6. She seems to want it extra badly. Watman answers with a 2. A Valpo turnover and a Rachel Watman 2 put the lead back up to 10 with 10:11 to go.

ORU definitely played better today than they did yesterday. Almost like night and day, the difference between the 2 games.

Myers hit her 3rd 3 to cut the lead to 7. Watman this time threw up an airball, but Valpo missed their shot as well. Betsy made a huge steal on a pass into the paint and brought it down for a basket and the lead was back to 5, ORU 50 Valpo 45, 8:24 to go.

ORU found Voelker underneath for a basket, but Reitema responded with a 2 of her own. Watman drove past Taylor to hit a baseline jumper. Reitema responded with a layup. Off a missed shot, Betsy hit another jumper to cut the lead to 3, but ORU responded this time. Another ORU miss and Valpo found Taylor under the basket to cut it back to 3. Another ORU miss gave Valpo the ball and Betsy drained a 3 to tie. After a timeout, Turek found the basket to put ORU up by 2. Valpo missed and ORU came back down and drew Taylor's 3rd foul. At the final media timeout: ORU 58 Valpo 56. Hardin hit the first but missed the 2nd.

After a timeout, Farris missed the front end and ORU's Turek scored again. Betsy hit 1 of 2 and the lead was 4. Somehow Valpo let Camargo drive the lane and Betsy missed another shot. ORU had the ball up 6 with 1 minute to go. Again, Camargo had a free ride in the lane, this time drawing a foul from Farris. She hit both FTs to put ORU up by 8. Carrie forced up a 3, no good, Taylor had to foul on the rebound. This game is over.

Reitema hit a 3 with 29.4 left to cut the lead to 7. Kulaga fouled Watman on the inbounds with 28.1 to go. She hit both. Kulaga missed a 3, but Valpo got the ball back. Taylor missed a shot, and fouled out with 10.5 to go. FT was missed, Ott drained a 3 as time ran out.

Final score: ORU 69 Valpo 63.

Postscript: As the Valpo band played the Alma Mater (a common theme on College Campuses at the end of a game), I overheard a clueless ORU fan ask if that was Valpo's swan song. Somebody buy this man a vowel, please.