Juniata women's basketball drops 57-55 heartbreaker to Greensboro in NCAA Second Round

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Greensboro College guard Nikki Wilborn's three-pointer from the left wing with 2.7 seconds remaining lifted The Pride to a 57-55 win over Juniata College, in an NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Second Round matchup at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center.

The win sends Greensboro (28-2) into the Sectional round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. Juniata (22-7) saw its dream season come to an end, as the Eagles finished with the second-highest win total in program history.

A see-saw first half offered 11 ties and 11 lead changes, and the early part of the second half was much the same way in what a tough defensive battle.

Juniata began to finally pull away from Greensboro with just under nine minutes to play, as a jumper by Eagle forward Kate McDonald put the Eagles in front, 48-46, with 8:41 showing. Guard Natalie Glinsky hit the first of two free throws at the 7:16 mark to stretch Juniata's lead to three, and the Eagles' Meagan Raville knocked down a three to put Juniata in front 52-46 with 6:32 remaining.

A pair of foul shots by Greensboro forward Danielle Duncan helped close the gap, and a Wilborn jumper brought The Pride to within two, 52-50, with 5:22 showing on the clock.

The two teams combined for eighth turnovers over the three minutes, with neither squad able to put points on the board. A foul by Greensboro's Duncan put Juniata guard Ashton Bankos on the line for two shots with 2:23 remaining, but neither shot would fall for the Eagles. Greensboro's Brianca Richburg rebounded the second missed free throw, leading to a Wilborn jumper and a 52-52 tie.

Juniata forward Jen Hnatuck answered with a layup, quickly matched by Duncan and the game was still tied at 54-54 at the 1:19 mark.

Greensboro guard Chevana Picard picked up her fifth foul with 44 seconds remaining, but Juniata guard Paige Robertson converted on only the first of her two free throws to give the Eagles a one point lead. Bankos had a chance to add to the lead when she was sent to the line for a one-and-one with 11 seconds remaining after Greensboro's Andrienne Terrell committed her third foul. Bankos' first shot rolled off to the right and was rebounded by Terrell, setting the stage for Wilborn's game winning trey.

Duncan paced Greensboro with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Wilborn finished with 17 points and a 3-of-7 mark from three-point range. Terrell and Wilborn each dished out four assists for The Pride, with Wilborn adding three steals.

Juniata finished with two players in double figures. Hnatuck tallied 13 points and eight rebounds, while McDonald had totals of 11 and seven to go with six assists and two steals. Four other Juniata players finished with six points each.

Both teams played each nearly straight-up statistically in the defensive battle, with each squad shooting 40 percent from the field and each hauling down 38 rebounds.

Greensboro was able to make better use of its' 12 offensive rebounds, turning them into 17 second-chance points. Juniata grabbed 13 offensive boards, but finished with nine second-chance points.

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