St. Norbert Rallies to Win Baylake Bank Tip-Off Tournament Championship

From Sports Information Director, November 20, 2010 | Women's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College rallied from a seven-point second half deficit to post a 50-42 win over UW-Oshkosh in the championship game of the Baylake Bank Tip-Off Tournament on Connie Tilley Court at Schuldes Sports Center.

The Green Knights (2-0), ranked No. 21 by D3hoops.com, won the tournament for the fourth consecutive year and are 8-0 all-time in the event. Oshkosh fell to 3-1.

Oshkosh led 34-27 with 11 minutes 38 seconds left after a Kelsey Myklebust layup. The Titans still held a 36-30 lead with 9:49 to go after another Myklebust basket. St. Norbert started its rally with a Maggie Tansey 3-pointer from the right corner, and Jamie Kuhl's basket on its next possession cut the deficit to 36-35 with 8:28 to go.

Following an Oshkosh free throw, Stefanie Bunday's leaner in the lane tied the game at 37-37 with 6:15 left. Oshkosh then missed four of five free-throw attempts on its next possession and was only able to forge a 38-37 lead with 5:32 to go. Bunday then had a free throw and hit an off-balance jumper to put St. Norbert up 40-38.

Shelby Churchill's layup with 4:40 left tied the game at 40-40, but it would be the last time the Titans were even. Bunday hit an on-the-run Krista Hawkinson for a layup at 4:26, and then Bunday connected again at 2:43 for a 44-40 lead.

Oshkosh's Laura Ebbens hit a jumper as the shot clock expired with 1:23 to go to trip the deficit to 44-42, but Bunday's pair of free throws with 1:00 left pushed St. Norbert ahead by four.

Jamie Kuhl had 13 poitns and eight rebounds and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Erin Baganz had 10 points, six rebounds and four steals and was also named to the all-tournament team. Bunday had nine points and three assists and was also all-tournament.

Churchill and Michelle Boeder each had nine points for Oshkosh. Churchill was named all-tournament, along with Mary Hardin-Baylor's Lindsay Eaton and Macalester's Majra Mucic.