Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Ursinus College came out the victor against Gettysburg College in back-and-forth battle inside Helferrich Hall as the Bears hung on for a 52-50 decision in Centennial Conference women's basketball action Tuesday night.
 
Tuesday's battle featured 11 lead changes and 10 ties with Ursinus (7-5, 4-3 CC) breaking a 48-all deadlock with a pair of free throws by Jessica Porada with 49 seconds left. Gettysburg (7-5, 4-3 CC) appeared to have a tie in its sights on its next possession, but sophomore Jenna Swope (Warminster, Pa./Archbishop Wood) was called for an offensive foul as her lay-up spun around and into the hoop with 21 seconds left.
 
Diamond Lewis gave the hosts a three-point lead by knocking down her second free throw attempt and the Bears held strong defensively on the other end of the floor, keeping the Bullet shooters from an open look at the goal. Junior Caroline Murphy (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) polished off a personal best 21-point night with a lay-up on the left side, but only two seconds remained on the clock. Ursinus capped the win with Porada knocking down her first free throw.
 
Murphy topped her previous best scoring output by one as she finished 7-of-17 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. She added 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Freshman Jessica Porter (Narberth, Pa./Lower Merion) added 14 points, eight rebounds, and four blocked shots, while Swope put up seven points and six rebounds.
 
Lewis led Ursinus with 13 points and two steals. She also added seven rebounds, while Porada led the Bears with eight caroms to go with 11 points.
 
Gettysburg turned in the first four points of the game on buckets by Murphy and Porter for what would turn out to be its largest lead of the day. Later in the first half, Ursinus would go ahead by five (22-17) on a three-pointer by Tori Steinberg with 6:26 remaining. The Bears' lead stood at 26-23 entering the break.
 
The start of the second half would witness four ties in the first five minutes until the Bears scored five consecutive points to jump ahead 37-32. The deficit would grow to six before the Bullets battled back with an 8-0 run capped by a three-pointer by Swope to take a 42-40 lead with just under seven minutes left to play.
 
Ursinus would retake the lead only to see Gettysburg toss in four-straight tallies with a lay-in by Porter lifting the visitors ahead 48-46 with 2:17 remaining. Lewis tied the game for the 10th and final time with a lay-up at 1:40 to set the stage for Porada at the charity stripe.
 
Despite the loss, Gettysburg maintained its impressive defensive streak as the Bullets held their ninth-straight foe below 30 percent shooting from the field. Ursinus connected on just 15-of-60 attempts (25.0 percent).
 
Gettysburg returns to action at home against Bryn Mawr College on Thursday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m.