MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - - Millersville limited UVa-Wise to just six points over the final 9:31 of play to close the contest on a 20-6 run en route to a 56-47 win in the season opener for both schools Saturday. The Marauders forced 27 turnovers in the win to help offset Cynita Webb's 16-point, 13-rebound showing.
UVa-Wise (0-1) took its biggest lead of the game with 9:31 to play when freshman Hanna Oliver (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge H.S.) canned a 3-pointer off a Janice Ladson (Woodbridge, Va./Chesapeake Community College) pass. It would be the last points Elise Clyburn's team would score for the next six minutes and 47 seconds.
During the Cavalier cold spell, Millersville (1-0) would turn a five point deficit into a five point lead. Jade Farquhar completed the stretch with a conventional 3-point play with just under three minutes to play.
Back-to-back free throws by Webb (Virginia Beach, Va./Landstown H.S.) got UVa-Wise back within three before Oliver's fourth 3-pointer of the night tied it at 46-46 with 1:38 to play.
The rest of the game belonged to Millersville senior Alayah Hall. The guard would score eight of her game-high 18 points over the final 76 seconds to seal the win.
Turnovers proved costly for the Cavs as the visitors committed three turnovers of their 27 turnovers in the final minute; the 27 miscues led to 25 points for Millersville.
The Maruders led by as many as nine points in the first half but would be unable to stretch the lead to double digits at any point in the game. The hosts limited UVa-Wise to just seven made field goals in the first half.
UVa-Wise scored the first points of the game on an Oliver 3-pointer but did not lead again until the 2:50 mark of the third quarter when freshman Bianca Lockamy (Greenville, N.C./The Oakwood School) rebounded her own miss and put it back in to give her squad a 34-32 advantage.
The double-double was the first of Webb's career as she tallied career-high numbers in both points (16) and rebounds (13). Oliver was the only other Cav in double-figure scoring as she netted 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.
UVa-Wise received just two bench points in the loss despite 12 players seeing minutes.
Lauren Lister came off the bench to join Hall in double-figure scoring for Millersville, Lister netted 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
The Cavs will be back in action tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Edinboro University. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. from Millersville, Pa.
