After the Minnesota West - Anoka-Ramsey game, I made the long-haul over to Hamline to catch what I could of the game between visiting Augsburg and host Hamline. I got into Hutton Arena and settled in with just under 15:00 remaining in the second half with Augsburg leading by a score of 41-36.
It always seems like wild and wooly things seem to happen at Hamline games that I attend at Hutton Arena and this one would be no exception. I had no more than got myself situated and started writing when the Hamline team was whistled for a technical foul (and I still have NO idea as to what prompted the call being made in the first place; much less see or hear anything that might have warranted it). Augsburg senior guard Jill Tichy was only able to get one of two obligatory freebies out of it though but it was good enough for a seemingly safe 42-36 lead. Of course, I SHOULD have known that any lead; especially one not even close to double-digits, is anything but safe against the Pipers at Hutton Arena and, sure enough, the Pipers regrouped and in the span of two minutes they embarked on a 8-0 run to grab the lead. Freshman reserve guard Erika Moede got one to fall from the charity stripe at the 14:17 mark and then it was freshman reserve sharp-shooting guard Chelsey Bonsante drilling a "3" from the left corner at the 14:01 mark after the Pipers were able to snare a long offensive rebound off of a missed shot. Then it was do-it-all junior guard Jordan "Flash" Sammons; connecting on a short jumper on the right side of the bucket at the 13:25 mark that tied the game at 42-all. A failed Augsburg possession put the rock back into the hand of the Pipers and they were able to make the most of the opportunity as Sammons made a drive into the lane for a finish at the 13:09 mark that not only had Hamline back out in front 44-42 but also had Augsburg Head Coach Bill McKee calling a timeout to try and find some answers out of this mess.
To their credit the Auggies were not ready to let this one slip away just yet as things stayed tight over the next four minutes. With things tied at 48-all, sophomore guard Marie Fitzgerald made a drive into the paint from the left wing for a score with 8:36 left and got fouled in the process. She was unable to connect on the ensuing free throw but Fitzgerald made amends for that just two minutes later when Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin native scored again on a lay-up that had Augsburg up by four at 52-48 and, once again, seemingly in control. Once again, though, the Pipers were determined to play spoiler and quickly set out to put things in further disarray for the visiting Auggies. Sammons utilized her great leaping ability to snare an offensive rebound for a putback with 5:54 left and went to the charity stripe to sink one freebie with 5:27 left that now had Hamline in the double-bonus. Sammons second free throw was off the mark but Augsburg forgot to box out junior forward/post Rachel "The Rock" Usgaard and she snared the loose ball for a putback that suddenly had Hamline out in front again 53-52. A Sammons drive and finish with 4:53 left expanded that lead to 55-52 but a Tichy "3" from the left top area with 3:56 left tied things up again at 55-all and left a lot of uncertainty on both sides as to how this might finish out.
The Auggies; whose playoff hopes are at best, flickering, watched with despair as things slipped away from them in the last few minutes on a combination of some bad luck and a couple of questionable calls. A jumper by Hamline reserve senior Je'Naya Brown from the left elbow had the Pipers up 57-55 but two freebies by Auggie sophomore guard Jenna Orth tied it once again at 57 with 3:25 left. Augsburg would take its last lead of the night on two free throws by Tichy with 2:35 left for a 59-58 advantage but then Sammons uncorked a "3" from the left top area with 2:22 left that put the Pipers back up 61-59. On the Auggies next possession, Tichy couldn't connect on a lay-up attempt and Hamline's Bonsante and Augsburg sophomore forward Jessica Lillquist made contact underneath the basket in the ensuing rebound attempt. Lillquist was whistled for the foul and Bonsante went to the other end to calmly knock down both freebies that now gave the Pipers a two-possession lead at 63-59. Augsburg had chances to convert on its ensuing possession but couldn't and Sammons was fouled on the Pipers next possession on a very questionable call; much to the chagrin of both Augsburg Head Coach Bill McKee and his assistant Josh Hersch. Sammons made good on those two attempts and the score was now 65-59 in favor of Hamline. Tichy would connect with one last "3" from the left top area with :20.5 left that cut the Hamline lead down to 65-62 but Augsburg had to foul now in order to try and get the ball back. Sammons was fouled with :18.6 left and she promptly knocked down both charity stripe shots. Augsburg had one last-gasp attempt that fell short and the Pipers got the "W" on this night by a 67-62 count.
A disappointed Augsburg contingent saw a huge opportunity to draw closer to GAC on this night slip right through their fingers as GAC went down at home to Bethel. Hersch alluded to not boxing out well on free throws and going only 7-14 from the charity stripe on their own did not help matters. With three games left (Bethel and at both Carleton and SMU) to finish out it's basically now or never time for the Auggies as they've been left with no choice but to roll the dice and hope like hell they can win - and get some help along the way to boot.
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