Mount Notre Dame Preserves Perfect Season in 67-63 Win Over Bellbrook in Overtime
CINCINNATI, OH — The opening game of the 4th Annual Holiday Hardwood Classic provided lots of exciting action in a high-scoring, fast-paced overtime thriller. Despite being outscored 17-10 in the fourth quarter, Mount Notre Dame emerged as the winner by a score of 67-63.
The teams traded punches in a back-and-forth first quarter, with Mount Notre Dame’s Carine Harris and Mia Vieth and Bellbrook’s Libby Bunsold totaling six points apiece. The Cougars did go on a 4-0 run to end the quarter thanks to baskets by Harris and Reece Hackney to take a 20-13 lead into the second frame.
In the second quarter, Mount Notre Dame went on a 5-0 scoring run with 3:34 remaining to extend the lead to nine at 27-18. The Golden Eagles, however, assembled their own 5-0 run with 2:13 left courtesy of a Zoe Howard three and Lauren Fabrick two. A layup by the Cougars’ Mia Vieth to end the half sent the teams to the locker room with Mount Notre Dame leading 31-27.
Bellbrook began the second half on fire and tied the game at 31 with 6:31 to go, but Mount Notre Dame quickly responded with two buckets by Harris and a Mia Vieth layup to pull away at 38-31 with 5:15 left.
With 4:06 remaining, a controversial foul called against the Cougars’ Bella Vieth resulted in a heated exchange between the fans and referee. The moment provided a spark for the Golden Eagle offense as they assembled a 5-0 run with 1:48 to go, but Mount Notre Dame responded with baskets by Ava Simpson and Layla Houpe to take a 47-40 lead after three quarters.
The Golden Eagles outscored the Cougars 12-2 in the opening three minutes of the fourth quarter, with Macy Miller recording five points and Bunsold totaling seven to give Bellbrook the lead for the first time since the first frame at 52-49. With 4:12 remaining, Bella Vieth executed a three-point play to tie the game at 52 apiece. Both teams added on to their totals as the quarter winded down, and with 10 seconds left in regulation, Bellbrook called a timeout with the score knotted at 57. The quarter ended with a layup by Bellbrook’s Libby Bunsold circling the rim before falling out, sending the contest to overtime.
In overtime, the Cougars jumped out to a quick 63-58 lead thanks to a 6-1 scoring run. The Golden Eagles didn’t relent, though, and with just 3.5 seconds remaining, Bellbrook’s Macy Miller drained a three to cut the deficit to two at 65-63. Bella Vieth ended the game with a layup to finish the opening game with the final score Mount Notre Dame 67, Bellbrook 63.
