CMS Women's Basketball Rallies for Late Lead, But Falls 54-51 to Willamette

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team trailed by 13 in the first half, came all the way back to take the lead late, but Willamette closed on a 6-0 run to win a tight 54-51 contest over the Athenas on the first day of the David Wells Classic on Friday evening at Roberts Pavilion.

Austyn Masuno had 15 points and 13 rebounds for her fifth straight double-double to start the season for CMS, which drops to 2-3 with the defeat, while Willamette sees its record improve to 4-3 with the win. 

Gwen Gilmore hit a short bank shot in the paint with 3:21 to go to give CMS a 47-46 lead, its first since the Athenas led 7-6 in the opening minutes. A Masuno lay-up gave CMS a 50-46 lead, and CMS still led 51-48 as the game entered the final minute, but the Bearcats were able to convert a three-point play from Ava Kitchin on a basket and foul to tie the score. 

The Athenas turned the ball over on their next possession, and Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil drove into the paint and found Carolann Edwards for the go-ahead lay-up with 19 seconds left. CMS was unable to answer back, and the Bearcats made one of two foul shots with three seconds left, but the Athenas were out of timeouts and unable to get off a shot before the final buzzer. 

CMS trailed by as many as 13 in the second quarter, but Grace Florendo provided a spark off the bench and hit her second three-pointer to close out the half and get CMS within 29-21. A Jacey Carter three-pointer got CMS within 40-37 late in the third, and Kayla Ishibashi and Gilmore had consecutive baskets to tie it 44-44 with 6:42 to go. 

CMS will be back in action tomorrow on the second day of the David Wells Classic when it takes on Whitworth 3:30 p.m.