BEREA, OHIO --  Senior guard Lindsay Smithberger scored 16 points as 25th-ranked (Women's Basketball Coaches Association) Capital University defeated Ohio Athletic Conference arch-rival Baldwin-Wallace, 74-70 in overtime, today (Saturday, December 12, 2009) in the Capital Center in Columbus. The game was a rematch of last year's OAC Tournament Championship Game.

In addition to Smithberger for Capital, Shelby Strain scored 14 points off the bench and Hilary Kuhns added 11. For B-W, junior All-OAC guard Amanda Schroeder (Columbus Grove) scored a game-high 22 points and added seven rebounds. Schroeder was joined in double figures by sophomore forward Catherine Spisak (Sandusky/St. Mary's Central Catholic) who scored a career-high 12 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

With its win, Capital is now 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the OAC and next plays on Saturday, Dec. 19 against Muskingum College in New Concord at 3:00 p.m. With its loss, B-W is now 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the OAC and next hosts Heidelberg on Wednesday, Dec. 16 in Berea at 7:30 p.m.

In the first half, B-W jumped out to a 6-0 lead at the 16:43 mark when sophomore wing Monica Gustin (Bexley)made two free throws. The Yellow Jackets extended the lead to 13-4 at the 12:17 mark when sophomore forward Nancy Coulter (Washington Court House/Miami Trace) made a layup. Capital then went on a 10-2 run to close the score to 15-14 with 7:37 left when Kuhns converted a layup. After the score was tied at 17, Capital completed a 22-8 run to take a five-point lead at 26-21 with 2:35 left when Abbey Winland made a three pointer. B-W outscored Capital nine to five during the remainder of the half to tie the score at 30-30.

In the second half, B-W opened with a 19-10 run to tie its largest lead of nine points at 49-40 when Schroeder canned a three with 13:15 left.  The Crusaders responded with an 11-3 run to get within one point at 52-51 with 10:00 minutes left when Smithberger hit a three. B-W then scored six straight to take a 58-51 lead at the 6:34 mark when Gustin scored on a layup. Capital answered again with a 9-1 run to take a 60-59 lead with 2:38 left when Shelby Strain made a steal and finished a layup.

The Jackets regained the lead with 2:11 left when senior All-OAC center Ariel Brough (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) made a layup.  Then, Brough converted two free throws to make the score 63-60 in favor of B-W with 29 seconds left. However, Capital got back within one when Caitlin Elsass made a layup and was fouled.  Elsass missed the ensuing free throw, but Capital forced a B-W turnover and an Elsass layup gave the Crusaders the lead 64-63 with 9.7 seconds on the clock. With only one second left, Brough was fouled and made the first foul shot to tie the game at 64-64, but her second attempt went around the rim and out sending the game into overtime.

In overtime, Capital took a 67-64 lead after a foul shot by Kuhns and two more by Stacy Timmerman with 3:01 left. B-W regained the lead with 2:27 left in OT when Spisak sunk two free throws making the score 68-67. After Tara Harper made a jumper, Capital increased its lead to three when Kuhns scored on a jump shot with 34.5 seconds left. After a Schroeder putback for B-W, Smithberger was fouled with 16.7 seconds left and made both free throws, making the score 73-70. After a B-W missed three point attempt, Timmerman was fouled and split the pair from the line, making the final score 74-70.

Following its game versus Heidelberg next Wednesday in Berea, the B-W women are idle until Monday, Dec. 21 when it hosts perennial Division III power DePauw (Ind.) University in Berea at the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center at 5:00 p.m.  Media and fans can listen to that game LIVE on campus radio station WBW, 88.3 FM, and via the Internet at www.wBW.com.

Media and fans also are reminded that BW hosts a Holiday Tournament in Berea on December 29-30. On Dec. 29, the Yellow Jackets play Manchester (Ind.) College in the first round at 5:00 p.m. with Albion (Mich.) College playing Loras (Iowa) College at 7:00 p.m. The consolation and championship games are on Dec. 30 at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., respectively.