The Miami University women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking loss Saturday, dropping a 66-64 decision to the University of Toledo in the final seconds of the regulation.
Miami led 59-51 with five minutes to play, but was unable to withstand a late rally from the Rockets. First-year Toledo guard Naama Shafir capped the comeback by hitting a game-winning lay-up with five seconds remaining.
Senior guard Jenna Schone led the RedHawks with a season-high 27 points. She had a chance to send the game into overtime with a buzzer-beating jumper from the baseline, but it missed off the rim.
"If I had a drive I would have taken that," Schone said. "But I thought it was a good look, it just didn't fall in."
After Toledo took a three-point lead with 20 seconds remaining, senior center Stephanie Ford drilled a three-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game. Shafir then took the ball the length of the court and laid it in for the win.
"On Shafir's last basket," head coach Maria Fantanarosa said, "our help side (defense) was tentative."
The loss drops Miami's record to 11-8 overall and 3-3 in the MAC, placing them in second in the east division standings behind Bowling Green State University.
Miami began the game with a quick three pointer by first-year guard Maggie Boyer. After that basket however, the 'Hawks struggled and quickly fell behind 17-7. The deficit ballooned to 24-10 before Miami grabbed some of the momentum.
Leading the charge in the comeback was Schone, who scored eight of Miami's first 13 points. In total, Schone scored 17 points in the first half.
"Tonight the shots were just falling for me," Schone said. "I wouldn't say it was anything different, I just had a few more fall for me tonight. My teammates got me the ball and set good screens, which allowed me to get open."
Missed free throws from Toledo also contributed to the RedHawks' ability to comeback. The Rockets shot just three of eleven from the free throw line in the first half.
Miami gained its first lead since the opening possession when Ford made a lay-up to put the RedHawks up 35-34. After some back and forth action, Miami went into the half up 39-36.
Miami opened up the second half once again struggling to score. Some early turnovers and missed shots contributed to the RedHawks not scoring a point in the first three minutes of the half. The 'Hawks' first field goal did not come until Schone hit a jumper right around the five minute mark of the half.
Despite these struggles, Miami continued to hold the lead until Toledo regained it with a minute and a half to play when junior forward Tanika Mays made two free throws. Mays led the Rockets in scoring with 16 points.
After the game, coach Fantanarosa had both good and bad things to say about the loss.
"We played better today than we have in the last two weeks," Fantanarosa said. "But on a negative note, the fundamentals that we have been focusing on still are not better."
Coach Fantanarosa continued on to describe the bigger issues that have been giving this team problems this season.
"Right now, the players that are key to winning at the end of the game, who have experience, are not fundamentalists," Fantanarosa said. "We played a lot of the young players today. They are eager to learn and are more focused on the fundamentals. After today's loss, it may be time to take more chances on the youth."
Contributing in scoring for Miami was Ford with 15 points off the bench and Boyer with 13.
"I just wanted to win and I wanted to encourage everybody else," Ford said. "I did what I could to help out everyone else."
One aspect of the game that contributed to the loss was Schone, normally a 77 percent free throw shooter, making just three of nine from the foul line.
"That's frustrating and there's really no reason for that," Schone said. "You just really can't get down on things like that; there are so many other aspects to the game."
Miami's next game is Jan. 31 at Ball State University. The next home game is Feb. 7 against Central Michigan University.
