APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University women’s basketball team missed a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer, and Eureka College hung on for a 51-48 nonconference victory in the season opener on Saturday at Alexander Gymnasium.
Kelsey Shoemake posted a double-double for Eureka (1-0) with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Andrea Wilkinson had her first career double-double for the Vikings (0-1) with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Kanae Nishitani led Lawrence and all scorers with 17 points and also picked up a team-high three steals.
Eureka led by as many as seven points in the first half, but the Vikings rallied early in the second half to tie the game at 25-25. The teams swapped the lead, and Lawrence took its final lead at 41-40 on Katie Schumacher’s layup with 4:54 left.
The Red Devils led by three at 46-43 when Nishitani was whistled for a foul against Caty Eeten. Eeten missed both free throws, but Lawrence was called for another foul boxing out Eeten. Given another chance, she made both free throws to give the Red Devils a 48-43 lead with 56 seconds left.
Nishitani drove to the basket, scored and was fouled. She converted the three-point play to cut the margin to 48-46. After Jenna Brooks converted 1 of 2 free throws, Patsy Kealey hit a driving layup to cut the margin to 49-48 with 28 seconds left.
Brooks was fouled again and converted both free throws with eight seconds left to put the Red Devils up 51-48. The Vikings broke the Eureka press and found an open Alex Deshler in the corner, but her 3-pointer was off the mark at the buzzer.
Lawrence returns to nonconference action on Nov. 22 when it travels to Mount Mary College.