Lady Cougars rally in 2nd half to win regular-season finale

Fri., Feb. 22, 2008

LIMA, Ohio -- Kacy Blotkamp hit a 3-pointer to give the University of Saint Francis the lead for good and the Lady Cougars completed regular-season play on Friday night with a 68-61 win at the University of Northwestern Ohio.

USF trailed through much of the game against UNOH (7-21) until Blotkamp broke the sixth tie of the game hitting a 3-pointer with 10:29 to play in the game to give the Lady Cougars (7-23) a 48-45 lead. UNOH got within 48-47 and 50-49, but USF outscored the Racers 15-7 to pull out to a 65-57 lead with 3:32 to play, the largest lead of the game for USF.

UNOH led 29-24 at halftime in its final game of the season.

After learning USF would be required by NAIA to forfeit 19 wins for unknowingly playing an ineligible player after losing 65-56 to Indiana Wesleyan, USF coach Gary Andrews was pleased how his team responded in its return to competition.

"I am really proud of this team," Andrews said afterwards. "We were dead in the first half, but we got it out of our system and played much better in the second half.

Blotkamp scored 10 points, all in the second half. Toni Burney led USF scoring with 16 points, 10 in the second half. Marie Kaufmann scored 14 points, 12 in the second half, and Jessica Hathaway finished with 13 points, eight in the first half including two 3-pointers.

USF waits to find out out where it plays on Tuesday in the first round of the Mid-Central Conference Tournament until after the completion of MCC play on Saturday, Feb. 23. USF will play on Tues., Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. The game will be carried live on WGL 1250 AM Radio starting at 6:45 p.m.