CHICAGO - Becca Bergman sank a go-ahead three-pointer with 19.2 seconds left in regulation, and the rookie guard sank a pair of free throws in the final seconds to lift the Roosevelt women's basketball team to a 60-57 victory over visiting Holy Cross (Ind.) at the Goodman Center on Saturday.
Becky Williford led all scorers with 21 points for the Lakers (13-9, 6-6 CCAC), while Paige Gallimore fell a rebound short of another double-double with 12 points and nine boards.
Bergman tallied 10 points, with five coming in the last 20 seconds, while Jasmine Kyler pulled down nine rebounds and swatted away six shots.
Tagin Schultheis scored a team-high 16 points for the Saints (8-14, 5-6 CCAC).
Saturday's clash was close throughout, as neither team ever led by double figures in the back-and-forth affair.
Roosevelt built a game-high eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but Holy Cross battled back and eventually took a three-point advantage with 90 seconds left.
Holy Cross nursed a two-point lead following a split of two free throws by Keysha Streater, setting the stage for Bergman's heroics.
With the shot clock winding down, the Lakers moved the ball around and eventually got it to Bergman as she eluded her defender for brief freedom around the right side of the arc. She unleashed an off-balance three that was on line and went through the twine for a huge trey that put the Lakers up one with 19.2 on the clock.
Roosevelt forced a miss on the other end, and the rebound was snatched by Williford. With Holy Cross running out of time and fouls still to give before the bonus, the Saints needed to foul three times to eventually send Bergman to the stripe, where she calmly sank both shots for a three-point lead.
Holy Cross called timeout to advance the ball past halfcourt for a last-second game-tying shot, but Eryn Leek's attempt fell short as the horn sounded to give the Lakers the win.
Roosevelt gets a week off until its next game, a home tilt against future CCAC foe Governors State. That contest is Saturday, Jan. 23 at 1 p.m. inside the Goodman Center, part of a unique doubleheader as NCAA Division I UIC hosts Cleveland State in a Horizon League women's basketball game inside the Goodman Center at 5 p.m.
