ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Rockford University women's basketball team came into Tuesday night's game with a tough task. With a half game lead for the final spot in the conference tournament the Regents took on the conferences fourth place team the Alverno College Inferno. This is the only meeting between the two teams this year.
Alverno got off to an early 14-6 lead five minutes into the game. The Inferno increased their lead to 14 before Rockford started a comeback. Katie Clark (Rock City, Ill./Dakota) would score six of the Regents next eight points to cut Alverno's lead down to 11. Baskets by Lindsay Lengjak (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) and Diamond Williams (Carpentersville, Ill./Dundee-Crown) decreased Alverno's lead down to five with less than eight minutes to go in the half. Another basket by Lengjak at the six minute mark brought the Regents within three points. Rockford and Alverno traded baskets the rest of the way with Alverno slightly increasing their lead with the first half score ending in their favor 37-30.
Alverno again started the beginning of the half on a hot streak. Five minutes in they extended their lead to 16 points. The Inferno continued to lead 57-41 with less than ten minutes left in the game. A few minutes later Rockford started a comeback. Erin Ryczek (South Beloit, Ill./Hononegah) hit three-pointers on back-to-back possessions to bring the Regents within 11 points. Rockford and Alverno traded baskets over the next couple of minutes before Ryczek hit another three-pointer to pull the Regents within nine points. Eight points is the closest Rockford would get the rest of the way with Alverno pulling away at the end of the game for an 85-72 victory.
The Regents return to the court for their final home game of the year against Wisconsin Lutheran on February 15th with a 4:15 p.m. start. Rockford will honor seven seniors before the game. The Regents will now need help to make the NACC Tournament. Despite being tied with Marian for the final playoff spot, the Sabres own the tiebreaker over the Regents so Rockford will need to finish ahead of Marian in order to make the postseason. Rockford's regular season ends on February 18th at 7:00 p.m. at Benedictine University.
