Box Score
The Ranger women's basketball team will go where no team in program history has gone before - the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship game. UW-Parkside defeated the No. 3 ranked team in the entire country, Indianapolis, 66-58, in a semi-final contest in Springfield, Illinois, Saturday afternoon.
Indianapolis was the only visiting team to win at UW-Parkside this season. The Rangers attoned for the lone blemish by ousting the Greyhounds from the tournament.
The Greyhounds led by as many as nine points at 13-4 just 5 minutes into the contest. The Rangers worked their way back into a 19-19 deadlock on a three-pointer by Amanda Gibson 13 minutes into the battle. Indy held a 31-30 lead at halftime.
Indianapolis found themselves in foul trouble at halftime. Starter Cayla Keegan had three fouls as did key reserve Heather Gonser. Brittany Beyer picked up her second foul mid-way through the first half and was forced to sit throughout much of the remainder of the period. She made it into the lockerroom without further damage.
Neither side led by more than four points in the second half until the Rangers opened a six-point spread at 62-56 on a pair of clutch free throws by Gibson with 51 ticks left on the clock. Gibson made two more in the late stages, as did Jadee Rooney to put the game on ice.
Gibson, who moved into the No. 3 slot in all-time scoring at UW-Parkside during the contest, finished with a game-high 26 points. The senior guard added six rebounds and three assists to her statline.
Brittany Hogen tallied 19 points and eight rebounds to go with three steals and a blocked shot. Rooney chipped in 11 points to the winning cause.
The Ranger defense came through by holding the 'Hounds to just 34 percent shooting from the field. The winners out-rebounded Indy, 38-33.
Samantha Meissel, the GLVC's Player of the Year, led the Indy effort with 17 points. She was limited to a 6 of 18 effort from the floor. Jessica Canary scored 15 points.
The Rangers will take Drury at 1 p.m. Sunday for the league title. The game can be heard live by going to 'Game Day' at the top right-hand portion of this page and selecting 'live audio.'
Drury beat Lewis, 67-63.
