WESTMINSTER, Md. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (8-17, 5-15 CC) ended the 2023-24 season on a high note, as Shae Mercer's buzzer beater in overtime capped off a fantastic win for the Fords over McDaniel (12-13, 7-13). Ally Landau matched a career high in points in her final game donning the Scarlet and Black, pouring in 36 points while playing all 45 minutes of the epic battle.
The Green Terror started the first quarter scoring five unanswered points to go up 5-0 within the first two minutes of the contest. McDaniel got off to the hot start thanks to a three-pointer from Peyton Tague and two points from rookie Teya McConnaha.
The Fords were able to answer right back, as Gia Flamini sank a three-pointer and Landau connected on a two-pointer to level the game at five a piece. The teams then traded triples back-and-forth, as Landau hit her first shot from downtown, only to see that shot answered on the next possession by another three pointer from Tague to give the Green Terror a small 10-8 advantage.
Down 10-8, the Scarlet and Black outscored McDaniel 6-5 to head into the second quarter down just 15-14. In the final stretch of the first quarter, the Fords shot 50 percent from the field, with Landau, Siena Emuobor, and Audrey Jakway all finding nylon.
Haverford started to find their offensive rhythm in the second quarter, jumping out to a 9-3 scoring run over the first three minutes of the second stanza. The Scarlet and Black went 3-of-7 from the field, and splashed in 2-of-3 from behind the three-point arc to take a 23-18 lead with 6:26 remaining in the half. Landau continued her offensive prowess in the matchup, knocking down two three-pointers in the momentous run for the Fords.
McDaniel answered back, ending the half on an 11-5 run that saw the Green Terror score nine unanswered points to head into the halftime break up 29-28. McConnaha headlined the turnaround run for McDaniel, dropping 7 points that included one trey in the stretch.
At the half, Landau paced all scorers on the floor with 16 points, going 4-7 from three-point land. For the hosts, McConnaha led the Green Terror with 11 points, pulling down nine rebounds in the opening half.
The third quarter was the most even of the contest, with McDaniel holding a slight 11-10 edge over Haverford, heading into the final stanza with a 40-38 lead. McConnaha and Lil Overcash combined for six of the 11 Green Terror points, while Landau continued her historic day posting four of the 10 Scarlet and Black points in the third quarter.
The final quarter was a back-and-forth affair yet again, with both teams dealing haymakers. With under 90 seconds to go and the Fords clinging to a 49-48 lead, Landau connected on yet another three-pointer to push the Haverford lead to 42-58 with just 1:21 left.
Overcash pulled the hosts within one point after a key triple brought the score to 52-51, with the road warriors in control with 53 seconds left.
Following one made free-throw from Flamini, Raegan Lenz cued a shot in to knot the game at 53-53 with just five seconds left. Haverford tried to close the game out on a buzzer-beater but a jump shot from Mercer couldn't find its way into the basket, sending the game into overtime.
Both teams started out cold to start the overtime session, until Emuobor converted a step-back jump shot to give the Fords a 55-53 lead. A free-throw from Lenz and a free-throw from Overcash tied the game back up at 55-55 with 1:27 remaining in the extra period.
Landau and Overcash then went shot for shot, as two buckets from each guard pushed the score to 59-59 with just 24 seconds to go.
Following a Green Terror turnover, the Scarlet and Black had a chance to win the game with just 20 seconds flashing on the clock.
Landau drove to the basket and banked a layup off the glass. The ball bounced off the back rim and back into the paint for several eager rebounders to collect. Mercer caught the rebound, and quickly released a shot with just milliseconds left on the clock. The ball found its way through the basket, and Haverford was able to leave Westminster, Md. with a win, 61-59.
Landau, in her final game as a member of the Fords, matched a career high in points with 36. Her 38 shot attempts marked a new career best, and her six made three-pointers notches another new personal best for the Livingston, N.J. native.
Following an instant classic with McDaniel, the Fords have officially ended their 2023-24 campaign. Haverford ended the season with a 8-17 record overall, with a 5-15 record in the Centennial. The Scarlet and Black will return in the fall of 2024 to prepare for the 2024-25 season.