Men’s basketball

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GETS LAST LAUGH

Chili Again Named Player of the Week For the second time in three weeks, sophomore Alexandra Chili was named the Centennial Conference player of the week. Chili averaged 24.5 points, scoring 49 points in only 50 minutes of action, in a pair of Muhlenberg wins. She netted 24 against Dickinson and 26 vs. Swarthmore to take over the CC scoring lead at 18.5 points per game. In the two games, Chili shot 52.9 percent from the field and added eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. She moved into second on the team’s all-time list with 159 career threes. In addition to scoring, Chili finished the week leading the CC in three-pointers per game (3.32) and was fourth in three-point percentage (.406) and 10th in free-throw percentage (7.46) and assists per game (3.11).

She who laughs last, laughs best.

Frustrated by Franklin & Marshall’s close guarding of her the entire game, sophomore Alexandra Chili threw an elbow and was called for an offensive foul with 1:24 left and the score tied at 55, prompting the Diplomat defender to pump her fist.

It was the other team doing the celebrating moments later. Chili’s three-point play with 47.5 seconds to play proved to be the game-winner, as the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team overcame its struggles to outlast F&M, 61-55.

The win enabled the Mules (17-3, 14-2) to keep pace with McDaniel and Gettysburg in a virtual three-way tie atop the Centennial Conference standings with less than two weeks to play in the regular season.

Senior Kaitlyn O’Malley’s second three-pointer of the game gave the Mules a 55-51 lead with 4:50 left, but the Diplomats scored the next four points to tie the game.

Muhlenberg shot just 35.6 percent for the game and never led by more than six points against a team it defeated by 19 earlier in the season. The Diplomats (9-12, 5-11) took a five-point lead, 47-42, with under 10 minutes to play, but the Mules responded with a 10-0 run to go up 52-47. F&M came back against and tied the score at 55 on a layup after a long pass with 1:37 on the clock.

On the next possession, Chili was trying to cut through the lane when she let her elbow fly.

“It was a stupid play. I regret doing that,” said Chili. “Fortunately I was able to make a good offensive play on the next possession to help us win the game.”

F&M took a quick shot after the turnover, and junior Kelly McKeon chased down the rebound. On the other end of the court, Chili found some space in the lane, knocked down a jumper and was fouled on her follow-through.

After two Diplomat misses, McKeon was fouled and made one of two free throws to make the score 59-55. McKeon iced the game by making two more from the line with 10.2 seconds left.

McKeon finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Chili had 14 points despite going only 5-for-15 from the field.

“Sometimes in away games you have to steal a win,” said Chili. “Things weren’t going our way, but we were really tenacious and rebounded well the last 3-4 minutes. It was mainly our hard work that got it done for us.”
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