GRANVILLE, Ohio – The Wittenberg women's basketball team fought all the way but ultimately dropped a 46-42 decision to Denison on Saturday, falling to 10-8 overall and 5-5 in the North Coast Athletic Conference.

The Big Red improved to 15-5 overall and 7-4 in the NCAC despite shooting only 33% in the game as both teams had difficulty from the floor.

Senior wing Amber Rice (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern), playing all but three minutes in the game, led the team with 13 points and nine rebounds to go with four assists and three steals.

Freshman Riley McDonald (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) also saw major time with 37 minutes on the floor, contributing a game-high four steals along with four boards and four points. Junior Darbie Zirkle (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) added nine points to the mix, ahead of junior Katelyn Haralamos (Maineville, Ohio/Kings) and sophomore Taylore Bundy (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange), who each scored eight.

Bundy was one of three Tigers to register two blocks, joined by freshman Michelle Brunswick (Middletown, Ohio/Madison) and sophomore Ali Miller (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas).

The Tigers trailed 23-15 at the end of the first half, but quickly narrowed the gap after Bundy and Zirkle knocked down three-pointers, with a Rice free throw in the middle to make it a one-point game at 23-22.

Wittenberg stayed within range and even claimed the lead with 11:13 left in the game after a McDonald layup, but Denison answered by opening up a nine-point advantage over the next six minutes.

Trailing 41-32 but undeterred, the Tigers got behind Haralamos, who made two layups and added a free throw over the course of 49 seconds to bring Wittenberg within four points at 43-39 with 2:40 remaining.

Haralamos later added another jumper to make it a 44-42 game with just 21 seconds left, but Denison accepted a Wittenberg foul, converted both free throws and then clamped down on defense to hold on to the win.

As a team, the Tigers forced Denison into 19 turnovers and 15 fouls while stealing the ball 15 times.

Wittenberg has a six-day layoff on the schedule before returning to competition in the friendly confines of Pam Evans Smith Arena for two games next weekend. It starts with the Tigers' Play 4Kay breast cancer awareness game at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, against Hiram, and continues with a 3 p.m. matchup with Allegheny the next day, which caps the annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. http://www.wittenbergtigers.com/news/2013-14/01_10

John Strawn '07