ROCKFORD, Ill.- The Rockford University women's basketball team returned home Saturday afternoon to face the Concordia University Chicago Cougars. The Cougars came in with a 4-3 record in conference and a 5-4 overall record. The Regents would find themselves down by ten at half time, but a late second half surge gave Rockford a chance to come away with a come from behind victory.
Rockford got off to a fast start with Mallorie Getzelman (Byron, Ill.) and Diamond Williams(Carpentersville, Ill.) making the first two baskets of the game. The teams traded baskets until the five minute mark when the Cougars were able to go up 12-6 after a three-point basket. Over the next two minutes, Amanda Davis (Mundelein, Ill.) made two baskets and a free throw to get Rockford within one point at 16-15. After that point, Concordia Chicago was able to control the rest of the half and its lead grew to as much as 15. A late three-pointer by Davis and a layup by Katie Clark (Rock City, Ill.) gave Rockford a 5-0 run to close out the half down 44-34.
The second half started with Rockford and Concordia Chicago trading baskets for the first few minutes. With 17 minutes left in the game, Callie Rezin (Rockford, Ill.) hit a basket and Davis hit another three-pointer, along with a free throw by Getzelman, to cut the Cougars lead down to six. Layups by Getzelman and Williams on back-to-back possessions put the score at 51-48 in favor of the Cougars. A layup by Clark at the 13:35 mark brought the Regents within one point.
Over the next eight minutes, the Cougars once again fought back and was able to push their lead to ten points. But again, Rockford was able to storm back. Down 67-58 with five minutes left in the game, the Regents received some senior leadership from Rezin who hit a three-pointer. After a steal, freshman Casey Pettit (Rockford, Ill.) hit a clutch two-point jumper. Concordia Chicago answered with its own basket, but Davis hit another three-pointer to get Rockford within three points with 3:37 left in the game. That would be the closest Rockford would get as the Cougars scored the last seven points of the game to win 76-66.
A couple of Regents had huge games in the loss. Davis finished with a game high 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting. She made all four of her three-point shots. Also having a big game, and almost breaking a Regent rebounding record, was Williams. She finished with 11 points and 21 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Her 21 rebounds was one shy of tying the Regent single game rebounding record.
Also in double-digit points was Rezin with ten. She added in five assists and two rebounds. Clark scored ten points off the bench, recovered six rebounds, and had three blocks. Getzelman finished with seven points and Pettit finished with five.
Rockford has a short holiday break and will return to the court on December 30th against Beloit College at 7:00 pm. The Regents next conference game is at Concordia Wisconsin at 2:00 p.m. on January 3.
