CHICAGO – Sophomore forward Kelley McInerney scored a career-high 18 points en route to her first career double-double, and the Roosevelt women's basketball team came back to defeat visiting Holy Cross,72-66, at the Goodman Center on Saturday.
McInerney was the story of the game, as the second-year frontcourt stalwart shot 7-of-14 from the field on an array of long jumpers that included a huge game-tying three late in the game, and she pulled down 11 boards for her inaugural collegiate double-dip.
Becky Williford scored 12 while Sara Beck added 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Lakers (7-14, 3-6 CCAC), who snapped a five-game skid.
Kari Barnes led four players in double figures with a game-high 21 points for the Saints (2-18, 0-8 CCAC).
Despite a not-so-ideal shooting performance in the second half, it was Roosevelt's resolve amidst Holy Cross' strong second-period start that set the stage for a strong finish by McInerney and her Green and White teammates.
Holy Cross opened the final stanza on an 8-2 burst to establish its biggest lead of the game at 10.
The Lakers clawed back to within one on a couple of occasions late. While Roosevelt shot just 26 percent in the game's final 20 minutes, the Lakers utilized their hustle on the glass for 15 second-half offensive rebounds and 20 second-chance points in that same span.
McInerney tied the game with her sole three-point attempt on the day going through the net with two and a half minutes to play, and from there she teamed with Jasmine Kyler to go 4-for-4 from the charity stripe and put the Lakers up 70-66 with 52 ticks left.
She made another free throw with 13 seconds left, and Williford sank another moments later to put the game out of reach.
"Today was a great team win," said Roosevelt head coach Robyn Scherr-Wells. "I was happy to see our young players figure out how to win a close game. I really felt all eight players contributed something positive and important in our second-half run.
"Obviously Kelley McInerney had a huge game for us," Scherr-Wells said. "It was fun to see her cap it off with a huge back-breaking three."
Roosevelt heads to South Bend to take on Indiana South Bend this Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 4:30 p.m. Central.
