WASHINGTON – It was a game that came down to the wire, and in their final home game of the 2023 calendar year the Eagles took on the Retrievers of UMBC. The American University women's basketball team fell 59-60 when UMBC scored a layup in the final second of the contest.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Ivy Bales dropped 14 points. The senior guard also grabbed two rebounds and had three assists.
• Lauren Stack was the second of two Eagles to have a double-digit outing, tallying 13 points on 6-8 shooting.
• Emily Johns led on the boards with five rebounds. The senior forward also had seven points.  
• UMBC was led by Laura Lacambra and Trinity Palacio with 11 and 10 points respectively. Jaden Walker led on the glass with six rebounds for the Retrievers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Eagles got on the board first, with a quick layup from Johns before the two teams got into the thick of it, back and forth scoring coming in the opening frame.
• Sophomore guard Laura Nogues, at point guard, started the game with intensity in what was her first collegiate start.
• American led the Retrievers 9-7 at the 5:08 mark in the opening frame, but the visitors went on a 7-0 run to grab a 14-9 lead until Lexi Salazar snapped the run by sinking a free throw at the 2:51 mark.
• The second quarter opened with a UMBC basket to hand them their largest lead of the game so far, up 22-14, but that was cut when Riley DeRubbo sunk a three in transition to stem the bleeding, followed by a basket from Bales to trail just three at 22-19 with 7:19 to play before the half.
• When the horn sounded for the final media timeout of the first half, the Eagles had managed to slice the deficit to just one, down 23-24 to the Retrievers thanks to 4-5 shooting, which was extended to 5-6 shooting when Molly Lavin sunk a three coming out of the timeout.
• Heading into the break, the Eagles held a narrow 34-32 lead thanks to going 2-3 from distance and forcing seven turnovers from the Retrievers, grabbing 11 points from those turnovers.
• Coming out of the break UMBC went on a 7-4 run in the first three minutes, scoring all seven of their points on the four Eagles turnovers. Despite that, the Eagles went 2-2 from the field in that time.
• American continued with their turnover woes in the third frame, racking up seven total in the fifteen minute period.
• AU only went 1-6 from the line, not taking advantage of their free throw opportunities, but salvaged their shooting percentage by, bringing it up to 50% for the quarter and trailing by just one point, 46-47, heading into the final quarter.
• Midway through the final quarter, Stack took fate into her own hands. The forward grabbed the reigns and grabbed all seven points of the Eagles 7-0 run that led to a 57-51 lead with 5:24 left to play in the contest.
• UMBC pushed back, making it a one point game with a layup with 1:24 remaining, and a one point game with another driving layup with 57 seconds left, the Eagles holding a 59-58 lead.
• The Retrievers would get the final possession on an Eagles turnover and hold for the final shot of the game, sinking a layup with one second remaining to claim the 60-59 win over American. 

UP NEXT
American will be away to finish out the year at Howard on Saturday, Dec. 30, for their final game of the non-conference slate. On Wednesday, Jan. 3, the Eagles will begin Patriot League play at Lehigh.
 
Tickets are on sale now at AUEagles.com/Tickets!
 
KEEP UP WITH US
For the latest on American University Women's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WBasketball) and Instagram (@auwbasketball).