Oilers survive Trevecca Nazarene's upset bid

Saturday's 65-54 win over Malone might've been three days ago, but it was clearly on the minds of the University of Findlay women's basketball team during Monday's game against Trevecca Nazarene. As close as 63-61 after a 10-2 run, the 4-18 Trojans took the Oilers to the brink, never trailed by more than nine and had all the momentum in the last two-and-a-half minutes of the game. And after a three-pointer by TN's Grace Baird that made it 69-66 Findlay with 45 seconds left, a comeback seemed more than possible. Luckily for UF, Trevecca Nazarene ran out of time as the Oilers survived the upset attempt, winning 71-66. "I think in a way, this game settled us down," senior forward Sydney Kin said. "We definitely needed this. We were really hyped about the Malone win and all of these other wins that we've been having. "We know that we're playing well, but teams like Trevecca (Nazarene) aren't just going to roll over. And we're not going to roll over teams regardless of their record." Still, though, it's a win and that's all the Oilers (10-12, 9-8 G-MAC) can ask for. "It just wasn't a pretty game, all the way around. I thought defensively — especially in the first half — we played pretty well, it was just the offense was a little dysfunctional," UF's head coach Jim Wiedie said. "You hold them to 28 in the first half, they're on pace for 56; but then we gave up 38 in the second half, which isn't good. There was no rhythm. With all the stoppages and stuff, I think that may have had an impact. "Now, we picked it up late in the game and got some inside baskets. Sydney was a beast, again, today. But sometimes, you gotta win ugly and that would've been a disappointing loss today." And whether the Oilers needed to be settled down or not, like Kin said; one thing is for sure, she did not. She finished with a 28-point, 12-rebound double-double after a 30-point, 15-rebound performance in Saturday's game. The Carey-grad has been on quite the run these last three games, where she's averaged 26 points and 12.3 rebounds per game to the tune of a 2-1 Oiler record. "We've done some things offensively that have maybe put her in a position to get more touches. We know she's gonna get double and tripled-teamed every single time, but part of it is how aggressive she's been," Wiedie said of her recent play. "She's done a great job running the floor and getting to her spots, and we're getting the ball to her early. That's been a big, big plus." "I've just been posting up really hard down low," Kin said. "Coach has told me that I need to run the floor more, faster, harder and it's really been working out. So, I'm just gonna keep doing it." It was the Oilers' sixth win in eight games and their fifth in six games. While Kin threw in yet another stellar performance in Monday's game, it was a collective group effort in the win. The Oilers out-rebounded TN 44-26 forced them into 13 turnovers and without two of its seniors — Bridget Landin (6 points, 11 rebounds) and Amber Schweiger (14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) — the Trojans probably pick up the upset. But Wiedie's come to expect that kind of performance from his senior class. "You rely on your seniors and they're the ones you expect to pick you up throughout the season. Then they really started getting playing time and they just continued to grow as players from that point. And there's no substitute for experience," he said. "I wish sometimes they were more high-energy, rah-rah kids—Amber's that way. Paige, Bridget and Sydney are a little more even-keel (and) they don't show a lot of emotion—but they're able to lead by example every single day and then go out and produce every single day, they don't have too many off days. "There are some games where they don't play to their potential, but we wouldn't be nearly as successful as we've been these last three years if it weren't for the four individuals." And as this late-season run to a G-MAC tournament bid continues, the Oilers will need their seniors to keep the high level of play going. They'll get a chance to do that Thursday when they face 2-22 Lake Erie at home. TREVECCA NAZARENE (4-19, 3-14) Baird 4-7 0-0 12, Palmer 5-11 0-0 10, McFarlin 2-6 0-0 6, Carmichel 3-11 2-2, Carter 6-15 3-4 17, Petty 1-5 2-2 4, Forensa Liu 2-2 0-0 4, Lockard 1-2 0-0 3. TOTALS: 24-59 7-8 66 FINDLAY (11-12, 9-8 G-MAC) Landin 3-10 0-0 6, Kin 11-18 5-6 27, Hoying 2-8 2-2 6, Hapgood 1-4 2-2 7, Sammarone 3-3 1-1 7, Schweiger 3-4 8-11 14, Ellis 1-4 1-2 3, Cooke 1-3 0-0 3, Bellman 0-2 0-0 0. TOTALS: 25-56 19-26 71. TREVECCA NAZARENE 12 16 16 22—66 FINDLAY 13 15 21 22—71 3-POINT GOALS: Trevecca Nazarene 11-24 (Baird 4-7, Palmer 0-1, McFarlin 2-5, Carmichel 2-6, Carter 2-3, Petty 0-1, Lockard 1-1); Findlay 2-7 (Kin 0-1, Hoying 0-1, Hapgood 1-3, Cooke 1-2). REBOUNDS: Trevecca Nazarene 26 (Carter 8); Findlay 44 (Kin 12, Landin 11). ASSISTS: Trevecca Nazarene 17 (Carter 7); Findlay 12 (Sammarone 4). STEALS: Trevecca Nazarene 7 (Palmer 2, Fornesa Liu 2); Findlay 6 (Kin 3). BLOCKS: Trevecca Nazarene 5 (Carter 3); Findlay 5 (Landin 2). TURNOVERS: Trevecca Nazarene 13; Findlay 15