PHILADELPHIA, PA - It was a record setting day for the La Salle University women's basketball team as the Explorers defeated Boston University 89-78 in double overtime. Junior Davineia Payne (Bear, DE/Caravel Academy) scored the game winner with four seconds left in the second overtime period to boost the Explorers to their third victory of the season.

 

Payne finished the game with a double double scoring 25 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. The 25 points set a new career high for the junior, while the 12 rebounds ties her career high. Sophomore Crista Ricketts (Douglasville, PA/Daniel Boone) joined Payne as she also tallied a double double with 19 points and 10 boards. Junior Shaune McLaughlin (Somers Point, NJ/Mainland Regional) set new career records for herself in both points with 15, field goals made with five and field goals attempted with 10. Four different Explorers scored in double digits as Payne, Ricketts and McLaughlin were joined by senior Jill Marano (Crofton, MD/Arundel) in double figures. Marano recorded 14 points.

 

Freshman Carlene Hightower (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) set a new record for herself as she pulled down 11 rebounds. She also added three points in the victory. Senior Monica Garrido-Sanz (Majadahonda, Spain/C.B. Majadahonda) tallied six points while junior Lamera Ferguson chipped in four. Senior Meghan Wilkinson (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown) finished the game with three points, she nailed a three pointer at a crucial time in the second overtime to put the Explorers up 82-79.

 

The Explorers led for the majority of regulation and were up by as many as 13 points in the middle of the first period. The Terriers cut the lead to seven before the half and La Salle led 41-34 at the break. Boston University came out strong in the second half and cut the Explorers lead to three within the first four minutes of the period.

 

Boston University head coach Kelly Greenberg (La Salle '89) and her Terriers tied the game up with just under 12 minutes remaining in regulation. A timeout did not stop the Terriers as they came out and took their first lead since the 14:25 mark in the first half.

 

There were six different lead changes and the game was tied five different times in the final nine minutes of regulation. Payne had her first chance to win the game at the end of regulation after Boston hit two free throws to tie the game at 70, but her jumper just missed.

 

Boston University took the early lead in the first overtime period, but McLaughlin drove to the basket as the shot clock ticked down and was fouled, making the lay-up. Her made free throw put the Explorers back up by one with just under four minutes to go in overtime number one. Payne followed that up with one made free throw combined with a jumper from Ricketts to put La Salle up four. The Terriers battled back making a free throw and following it up with a jumper and then a lay-up to go up one.  Ricketts then hit the back end of double bonus from the charity stripe to tie the game at 77.

 

Hightower grabbed a defensive board and head coach Tom Lochner called a timeout with 19 seconds remaining. Payne then had her second chance to hit the game winner, but her lay-up again just missed and the game went into its second overtime period.

 

The Terriers again scored the first basket of the overtime period, but a pair of free throws from Ricketts tied the game at 79 with 3:36 to go in the period. Wilkinson then hit a three pointer to put La Salle up three with just over three minutes remaining. Boston matched Wilkinson's three with one of their own. Payne then made two free throws which the Terriers matched with two free throws to tie the game again, this time at 84 with two minutes remaining.

 

The game stayed tied at 84 for the next minute until a foul by Boston sent Payne to the charity stripe once again, she made both and Hightower made a third 16 seconds later to give La Salle a 87-84 lead with 21 seconds left to go in the second overtime period. But, Boston's Erica Kovach hit a three pointer to once again tie the game, it was the 14^th tie of the game. The third time was the charm for Payne, the junior got the ball with 21 seconds to go, she dribbled the length of the court and sunk a jumper from the top of the key for the 89-87 victory.

 

La Salle was 32-40 (80%) from the foul line, while the Terriers stepped to the charity stripe just 29 times, making 21 of those attempts. The Terriers who had some significant height over La Salle pulled down 44 total rebounds, while the Explorers out-rebounded them by 11 grabbing 55 rebounds.

 

The Explorers improve to 3-2, this is their first time over 500 this season. La Salle is now 2-0 at home and will host Binghamton for the first time in school history this Saturday, December 11^th. That game is set for a 12:00 p.m. tip-off.