Box Score
CHESTER, Pa. - Lebanon Valley College exploded out of halftime to take a huge lead, then held off a Widener University rally in the final moments to win, 58-48, in Commonwealth Conference women's basketball action Wednesday night.
The Dutchmen (19-3, 4-3 CC) can now clinch a conference playoff spot with a win over Elizabethtown on Saturday. Lebanon Valley could also reach the 20-win plateau for just the fourth time in program history. The Pride (10-12, 2-5 CC) remain in fourth place in the conference with Lycoming loss to Messiah and Elizabethtown's defeat to Albright.
The contest was also a "Think Pink" game, in which fans were asked to wear pink to show their support for the fight against breast cancer. Proceeds from the game went to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
After leading by seven at the break, Lebanon Valley jumped out to a 29-point lead midway through the second half before the Pride cut their advantage to 10 in the final minute of the game.
Freshman Suzie Noyes led LVC with 12 points and eight rebounds, while classmate Eryn Schultz scored 10 points and grabbed seven boards off the bench. Freshman Lori Lidlow, who played much of the second half with four fouls, added 10 points and three assists.
An uneventful first half resulted in a 20-13 LVC lead. The Dutchmen led from the start, but neither side found a shooting touch as Widener shot a dismal 19.2 percent and LVC wasn't much better at 22.6 percent.
The second proved to be a different story. Lebanon Valley came out on a tear, going on a 30-8 run over the first 10 minutes of the half to open up a huge 50-21 lead with 9:27 remaining in the game.
Widener didn't quit, and a 17-3 Pride run cut LVC's lead to 14 with 3:53 to go as the Dutchmen suffered a nearly five-minute scoring drought. After a foul shot by Noyes and Lidlow's layup put LVC on top 55-38, Widener answered with two more buckets by Becky Tyler and Tasha Carny to make it a 56-42 game with 2:15 remaining.
Widener continued to hit foul shots down the stretch, but never got close enough to get back in the game. Lindsey Isler's pair with 22 seconds left cut LVC's lead to 58-48, but that was how the game ended.
LVC shot 32.1 percent overall to Widener's 24.6 percent. The Dutchmen struggled at the line, going 19-for-32.
Lebanon Valley returns home Saturday to host Elizabethtown at 1 p.m. on Hot Dog Frank Day. In keeping with tradition, all fans will receive free hot dogs during the women's/men's doubleheader in honor of the memory of long-time LVC support "Hot Dog" Frank Aftosmes.
