GEORGETOWN, Ky. – Freshman Abby Feuchter kept the women's basketball team's unbeaten season alive with a three-point shot with just eight seconds to play against Trevecca Nazarene. The No. 2 Bears (4-0) led for just 7:13 of the game and had the lead for just 1:27 in the first 30 minutes of play. However, Feuchter made all of that a side note with her three point shot to lift SSU past the Trojans, 76-74.
To set the stage, Shawnee State had just taken the lead with 2:47 to play following an Alannah Sheets three. Over two minutes of the Bears total of 7:13 that they led came in the next 2:14 as neither side scored until the Trojan's Rachel Raby, who led her team with 13 points, scored with 33 seconds remaining.
Trevecca Nazarene called a timeout to regroup defensively and set the stage for the final half minute. The Bears did not want to wind the clock down and Sheets, who finished with 20 points, ended up taking a three at which point she was 4-of-8 from distance. However, her shot was denied but the block attempt went out of bounds and back to the Bears.
This time, it was Robin Hagen-Smith that called timeout. Out of the break, it was Sheets that found Feuchter beyond the arc. Not backing down from the big stage, Feuchter delivered the game-winning shot for her team with eight ticks on the clock.
The Trojans would get a shot off at the buzzer but it would not go as the Bears held on for the victory. Making the story even more unlikely was the fact that four other players had attempted more three this season than Feuchter. She was just 1-of-6 on the season from beyond the arc and had just two points in the game prior to her game-winner. However, that all became a backstory when her three lifted the team to victory.
Trevecca Nazarene started the game quickly and led by as many as 10 with 6:08 to play in the opening half. Sheets would answer with SSU's last seven points of the half to cut the lead to two, at 39-37, but the Trojans would score the final basket of the half with just under a minute to play and took a 41-37 lead into the locker room.
The Bears largest deficit of the second half was equaled when they were down five with 11:53 left in the game. However, Schera Sampson would score on the next three possessions for the Bears, allowing them to finally take the lead with the final two points in that span coming from the free throw line with just over 10 minutes showing on the clock.
The two sides would trade baskets and Shawnee State would hold predominately a one-point lead up until there were just six minutes to play. At the point, the Trojans scored on two straight possessions to take a three-point lead. Allison Nagle, who finished with a career-high and game-high 22 would answer with a three and it was dead heat to the finish tied at 65 with 5:25 to play.
The Trojans took the next lead with a basket, but Sheets would drain a three to give the Bears a one-point lead before a second straight Trevecca Nazarene basket off a put-back gave the the Trojans their one-point lead back. Trevecca Nazarene would then take a three point lead off a steal with just over four minutes to play.
Two big free throws by Sampson would get the Bears back within one and after the Trojans made just one of two after getting to the line, Sheets came down to drain another three, giving the Bears a 73-72 lead with 2:47 left in the game. The score would stay that way until just 33 seconds remaining in the game when another Trojan's basket gave them the lead.
From there, it was Feuchter who would stick the final dagger in Trevecca Nazarene, who the Bears just could not shake all game.
In addition to Nagle's 22 and Sheets' 20, Sampson added 14 more points. Shawnee State made up for a 51-32 deficit in rebounding by shooting .468 for the game, including .524 from three. Nagle was 6-of-8 from three, while Sheets was 4-of-9 on the night.
Women's basketball will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. vs .Mid-Continent to close out its weekend at the Georgetown Invitational.
