NEW YORK — Mia Roy’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer saved Bates’ season, sending Friday’s NCAA Division III women’s basketball tournament first-round game to overtime. From there, Ariana Dalia’s career-high 27 points and NESCAC Player of the Year Meghan Graff’s clutch free throws sent the Bobcats to a 68-64 win over Roger Williams.
Down by three (58-55) in the waning seconds of regulation, the Bobcats (18-7) nearly turned the ball over on an inbounds play but they were able to get the ball to Roy, whose off-balance shot from behind the arc found its way in.
There it is…a shot for the ages.
Mia Roy knocks down a three at the buzzer to force overtime in a 68-64 win for Bates women's basketball over Roger Williams in the 1st round of the @NCAADIII tournament!! That's Ariana Dalia chasing down the loose ball. #SCTop10 @ESPNAssignDesk pic.twitter.com/ytfXXTyf1e
— BatesSports (@BatesSports) March 5, 2022
Dalia was a key offensively all game for Bates, including four points in overtime. Her 27 points were the game-high, and she also led Bates with nine rebounds.
Graff finished with 18 points, including 9 for 9 from the free-throw line. Roy was 8 for 9 on foul shots and finished with 13 points.
Katie Galligan paced the Hawks (25-3) with 25 points.
Bates held Roger Williams to 0 for 14 on 3-pointers, and the Bobcats also benefitted from better free-throw shooting (83.3% to 63.6%).
The Bobcats will be back in action Saturday for their second-round game against host New York University, which beat Washington & Lee, 71-61, later Friday night.
BATES COACHING LEGEND GEORGE WIGTON DIES: George Wigton, who coached six different Bobcats teams across four sports during a 31-year coaching tenure at Bates, died March 1 at the age of 93.
From 1965-96, Wigton spent time coaching the men’s basketball and men’s soccer teams, as well as both men’s and women’s tennis and squash programs. He was the founding coach for the squash programs in 1986.
BASEBALL
GEORGE WASHINGTON 5, MAINE 2: Noah Levin had two hits and drove in three runs as the Colonials (2-6) beat the Black Bears (1-6) in Arlington, Virginia.
Quinn McDaniel singled in a run in the fourth and Ryan Turenne added a bases-loaded, RBI groundout in the eighth for Maine. Jordan Schulefand had two hits and scored twice.
SOUTHERN MAINE 7, JOHNS HOPKINS 5 (10 inn.): Brogan Searle-Belanger hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning, then he and Lewiston grad Jack Leblond both walked with the bases loaded in the 10th inning as the Huskies (1-0) came back from a four-run deficit to down the Blue Jays (3-2) in Baltimore.
Jason Komulainen and Arlo Pike each had a solo home run. Bryce Afthim pitched the final three innings to get the win after taking over for Oxford Hills grad Wyatt Williamson, who pitched two scoreless in innings in relief of starter Joshua Joy.
Jared DeFaria went 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI for Johns Hopkins.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
WHEATON 11, SOUTHERN MAINE 7: Jessie Kilburn had four goals and an assist to lead the Lyons (1-1) past the Huskies (1-2) in Gorham.
Abigail Mountain added three goals for Wheaton. Avonlea LeBeau had two goals and two assists.
Rachel Shanks led USM with three goals and two assists. Lilly Weinrich added two goals. Jennifer Darasz and Evelyn Hickley each had a goal. Lewiston grad Cece Racine made nine saves.
BRIDGEWATER STATE 10, U. OF NEW ENGLAND 8: The Bears (1-2) scored three goals in the fourth quarter to rally past the Nor’easters (0-3) in Biddeford.
Delaney Langton led Bridgewater State with five goals. Brooke La Torra made 11 saves in net.
Ann Chapman had three goals for UNE, with Anna Stowell adding two. Madison Bruzzese made 13 saves in goal.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
WESLEYAN 81, HUSSON 61: Jordan James had 18 points and seven rebounds to lead the Cardinals (24-3) over the Eagles (15-9) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in Middletown, Connecticut.
Sam Peek put up 15 points and 12 rebounds for Wesleyan. Antone Walker scored 12 points and Gabe Ravetz recorded 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Justice Kendall scored a game-high 23 points for Husson and DJ Bussey finished with 18 points. Winthrop grad Cam Wood grabbed one rebound and collected a steal in 19 minutes.
MEN’S HOCKEY
BOSTON UNIVERSITY 5, MAINE 1: The Terriers (19-11-3, 13-7-3 Hockey East) used a three-goal second period to pull ahead and beat Black Bears (6-21-4, 4-17-2) in Orono.
Wilmer Skoog had two goals and an assist for BU while Ty Gallagher, Jay O’Brien and Sam Stevens each had one goal. Drew Commesso turned away 28 shots.
Ben Poisson scored on a power play in the third for Maine. Victor Ostman made 23 saves.
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