WESTMINSTER, Md. – The Ursinus College women's basketball team was tested in the final minutes of the contest, but with strong defense and timely baskets, the Bears were able to top McDaniel 53-49, in a Centennial Conference battle on Saturday afternoon.
A pair of double-doubles from sophomores Lydia Konstanzer and Toni Suler, who combined for 37 points and 25 rebounds, led the Bears (4-4, 2-2) to their first win at McDaniel since 2012.
Ursinus opened the game with a jumper from senior Rachel Guy, putting the squad up 2-0 and giving it a lead it wouldn't relinquish until midway through the fourth quarter. Guy added a layup while Suler hit a pair of free throws followed by a jump shot from junior Kaci McNeave that completed an 8-1 run to start the contest.
A pair of free throws from Suler built the lead to 12 early in the second quarter, as the Green Terror (2-5, 1-3) defense had trouble with Suler all day. Suler shot 7-of-10 from the line, including a pair of free throws to give the Bears a 48-47 lead with 1:14 left in the game. It was Suler's first double-double of the season – and fifth of her career – as she finished the contest with 15 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks, and a pair of assists.
Suler followed up her clutch, late-game foul shots with an even more important basket with 40 seconds to go, putting the Bears back on top 50-49 after Melanie Yeomans had handed McDaniel the upper hand for the last time on a jumper with 57 seconds showing on the clock. Suler received the pass in the paint with her back to the basket before putting on a spin move to get the tough lay-in through contact.
Konstanzer was just as prevalent in the Bears offense, shooting 7-of-13 from the field and going 6-for-7 from the charity stripe. Konstanzer came up clutch with a 20-foot jumper with 3:03 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 45 following a 12-point first half in which she also pulled down 11 boards. Konstanzer wrapped up the day with a game-high 20 points to go with 13 rebounds, two assists and two steals. It was her third double-double of the season and 12th of her career.
The Bears were in control of the contest until the Green Terror found its rhythm with less than four minutes to go in the third quarter. Following a lay-up from freshman Aliyah Stephens to make the score 26-14, the Green Terror put together an 11-1 run to pull the game tight before grabbing its first lead of the day at 43-41 with 4:28 left in the game thanks to a jump shot from Yeomans. From there, it was a back-and-forth affair, as the two sides seemed to go bucket-for-bucket.
The Bears' starting five was heavily leaned on by coach Margaret White, as the group scored all but four of the team's points. Guy and Konstanzer were joined by freshman Maya Kornfeld and McNeave with 30-plus minutes on the court while Suler – who battled fouled trouble – played 25 minutes. Kornfeld grabbed a season-high six rebounds while chipping in three points and three assists and Guy finished with seven points on a 3-for-4 day from the field.
With five blocks, a number she hit for the second time in three games, Suler now has 123 in her career and is one shy of tying Molly Guntli for second in program history.
Ursinus is back in action Wednesday when the Bears travel to Swarthmore.