Antelopes rally from 12-point 2nd half deficit, outscore Ravens 16-7 in second OT

Boxscore 

MESA, Ariz. (December 31, 2008) - Grand Canyon University rallied from a 12-point deficit late in regulation to force overtime and went on to post a 94-85 double-overtime victory over Franklin Pierce University, ranked No. 23 in the most recent USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, on day three of the 2008 Trip Sports Grand Canyon Classic at Skyline High School late Tuesday night.

Sophomore Samantha Murphy (Phoenix, Ariz./Xavier Prep) led Grand Canyon with a career-best 30 points (20 after halftime) as she hit 10-of-18 shots from the field and converted 9-of-11 free-throw attempts to go with seven rebounds and seven steals. Junior Rosalyn Nelson (Phoenix, Ariz./Deer Valley) added 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals, while classmate Stacy Haddow (Chino Valley, Ariz./Chino Valley) posted 16 points, converting 11-of-12 free-throw attempts, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior Dana Iverson (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins) chipped in 11 points for the Antelopes.

Senior Vanessa Power (Mildura, Australia) led Franklin Pierce with a season-high 27 points (one shy of her career-best) off the bench, hitting 8-of-13 shots from the field, including 6-for-9 from three-point range, and converting 5-of-6 free-throws to go with three rebounds and two assists. It marks just the fourth time in the last three seasons that one of the Ravens' Leedham sisters has not led the team in scoring (second time in three games). 

Junior All-American and Great Britain international Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)), the reigning State Farm/WBCA Division II Player of the Year, added 18 points before fouling out just over a minute into the first overtime period as she made 7-of-15 shots from the field to go with nine rebounds, five steals and three assists. Sophomore Tori Ahrens (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich) posted 13 points and five rebounds, while senior Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) chipped in ten points and six assists.

Franklin Pierce, which led by a game-high 14 (61-47) after a Power three-pointer with 8:46 left in the second half, was up 13 (64-51) after an Ahrens layup with 6:14 to play. The Ravens lead was 12 (66-54) on a layup from sophomore Ashley Robinson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Nova) with 5:24 to play, when Grand Canyon reeled off a 15-0 run to take a three-point lead (69-66) on a Haddow layup with 13-seconds to go. It was the first time the Antelopes led since scoring the first basket of the game.

Power drained another three to force overtime. Grand Canyon gained the early advantage in the extra session (70-69) when junior Erin Murphy (El Paso, Texas/Americas) hit one of two free-throws after Johannah Leedham fouled out with 3:58 left. Iverson scored a put back to give Grand Canyon a three-point cushion (72-69) with 3:25 to go, but Power knotted the score again with a three on Franklin Pierce's next possession.

Power hit another three to give the Ravens a three-point lead (75-72) with 1:15 remaining and the Ravens lead was two (78-76) after she made one of two free-throws with 14-seconds left. Grand Canyon had one last chance to force overtime or get the win and Haddow was fouled with three-seconds to go. She made both free-throws to force a second overtime.

The game was tied at 82-82 after Franklin Pierce freshman Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland) scored a lay-up with 2:11 left. Grand Canyon regained the lead for good with a Samantha Murphy jumper with 2:26 to go that sparked a decisive 8-0 run that put the Antelopes up 90-82 with 19-seconds remaining after two Murphy free-throws.

Grand Canyon finished shooting 45.5-percent (30-for-66) for the contest, including 20-36 (55.6%) after halftime. The Antelopes outscored Franklin Pierce 30-17 at the line despite going to the stripe just seven more times and made 14-of-19 attempts over the two overtimes. The Ravens shot 46-percent (29-for-63) from the field, including 50% (13-26) in the second half. Grand Canyon also out-rebounded the Ravens by a 50-33 margin, which resulted in a 20-4 advantage in second-chance points, and the game featured a combined 64 turnovers (33 FPU, 31 GCU).

Franklin Pierce (6-4, 4-3 NE-10) is back in action on Sunday, January 4, when it returns to the Northeast and hosts Wilmington (Del.) University at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WEEI 93.5 FM Keene. Grand Canyon (5-6, 0-0 PacWest) visits Notre Dame de Namur on Friday and Saturday.