ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Rockford University women's basketball team looked to build off a big win against Dominican University on Thursday night. With a win the Regents would be a game above .500 in conference and two games above .500 overall on the season. Marian came into the game 1-1 in conference and 1-5 overall.
Marian got off to a quick start and led 10-4 six minutes into the game before Lindsay Lengjak (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) made a layup. Defense was the name of the game for both teams as there was not much scoring to begin the game. Lauren Hyser (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere) hit a couple of baskets for the Regents a few possessions apart to bring the Regents within one of Marian. Callie Rezin (Rockford, Ill./Lutheran) followed up with a bucket of her own on the Regents next possession for Rockford's first lead of the game. Marian answered right back with a three pointer. After another Marian three Arielle Nichols (Tampa, Fla./Land O'Lakes) answered with a long three of her own to bring the score to 19-17 Marian with seven minutes left in the half. The Sabres again answered with a three pointer a possession later. Lengjak made layups on back-to-back possessions for the Regents to pull within one point of Marian with 3 and a half minutes left in the half. Once again the Sabres answered with a three point basket and increased their lead 27-21. Erin Ryczek (South Beloit, Ill./Hononegah) quickly answered with a three point basket for the Regents. That would be all the scoring for the first half as both defenses locked down the rest of the way. Rockford shot 41% from the field and 25% from behind the line for the first half. They out rebounded Marian 20-14 in the half and neither team attempted a free throw for the half.
Destiny Chaney (Belleville,Ill./O'Fallon Township) got things started for the Regents in the second half with a steal and a fastbreak layup. The Sabres once again answered with another three pointer to go up by four points. A layup by Lengjak and a three pointer by Ryczek put the Regents ahead 31-30 four minutes into the second half. Marian answered a short time later with their ninth three pointer of the game to go ahead 33-32. On the Regents next possession Lengjak made a layup and hit a free throw to put the Regents back up by two. Not surprisingly the Sabres hit a three pointer on their next possesioin to go up 36-35 seven minutes into the first half. With nine minutes left in the game Chaney hit a pair of free throws to tie the game up at 39. After a couple of offensive rebounds Sherrell Woods (Rockford, Ill./East) made a layup for the Regents to put them up 41-39 with 10:18 left in the game. A couple of minutes later Cierra Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./O'Fallon Township) made her first basket of the game on an offensive rebound to put the Regents up 43-40. Lengjak does the same on the Regents next possession to give the Regents the biggest lead of the night at five points with seven and a half minutes left in the game.
Marian hit a couple of free throws to get within two points with five minutes left in the half. They then hit their 12 three pointer of the game on their next possession to jump ahead of the Regents 46-45. After a timeout Lengjak was fouled in the lane and hit one free throw to tie the game up at 46 with 4:40 left in the game. Lengjak then fouled a Sabre on their next possession and they made both to go ahead by two points. A couple of possessions later Rockford was called for a foul and a technical foul resulting in Marian attempting and making four free throws to go ahead 52-46 and they then got the ball back with 2:57 left in the game. After a questionable travel call on a breakaway for the Regents the Sabres hit a couple of free throws to go ahead 54-46 with less than two minutes to go in the game. Hyser hit a couple of free throws with 1:31 left in the game to pull the Regents within six points. After a couple of fouls and free throws Marian pulled ahead 56-48 with less than a minute left in the game. Lengjak scored on a layup with 45 seconds left to cut the Marian led to six points. The Regents again foul and Marian again makes both. Rezin makes a layup to once again bring the Regents within six points with 27 seconds left in the game. Marian then misses both free throws giving Rockford a chance. Ryczek banks in a three pointer to bring the score 58-55. The Sabres make both free throws but Rockford once again hits a three pointer, this time by Nichols to pull within two points with 3.3 seconds left in the game. Marian hits both free throws to go up by four and seal the victory. Johnson does hit a half court shot at the end of the game to put the final score at 62-61.
Lengjak tied for the game led with 21 points. She added in 11 rebounds and 3 assists. It is her third double double of the season. Ryczek was the only other Regent to score in double digits. She finished with 10 points and 3 rebounds. Rockford finished the game shooting 35% from the field and 33% from behind the line. They out rebounded Marian 47-31.
Rockford is back on the road for their next three games, beginning with Aurora on December 10th at 7:00 pm. Their next home game is December 21st against Concordia Chicago at 4:15 pm.
