By: Athletic Communications Student Assistant Joe Meyer '24

BEREA, Ohio - The No. 8 nationally ranked Baldwin Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team came from behind to capture the 2022 BW Invitational title with a 72-65 win over Hamilton (N.Y.) College in the Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.

Senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Academic All-OAC guard Megan Hensel (Upper Sandusky) was named the BW Invitational Most Valuable player and sophomore forward Bella Vaillant (Perrysburg) received All-Tournament honors for BW (11-0, 4-0 OAC). Vaillant led the Yellow Jackets in the Championship Game, scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds. Junior forward Kira Philpot (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) and Hensel contributed 11 points apiece, with Hensel scoring all 11 of her points in the second half.

Hamilton (7-2) forward Taylor Lambo recorded a career-high 28 points and 7 rebounds to lead the Continentals. Emily Hall was the only other Continental to crack double digits, tallying 13 points and 7 rebounds in the losing effort. Both players earned All-Tournament honors.

FIRST HALF

• Hamilton held an 18-15 advantage after a tightly contested first quarter in which no team led by more than 4 points.
• An 8-0 run by the Continentals pushed their lead to 33-21, forcing a BW timeout with 4:04 left in the half.
• Following the timeout, BW closed the half on an 11-1 run to pull within two (34-32) at the break.

SECOND HALF

• After falling behind 39-32, BW battled back with a 9-1 run to take a 41-40 lead at the midway point of the third quarter.
• Irwin found Hensel for a corner three to retake a 46-45 lead with 3:39 left in the third.
• The Continentals held a slim 51-50 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
• Hamilton opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to extend their lead to 59-52, forcing a BW timeout.
• Out of the break, BW responded with a 12-0 run, retaking the lead for good on Philpot's three-pointer with 5:11 to play.
• BW entered the final minute with a 64-61 lead and sophomore forward Caely Ressler (Napoleon) shot a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe down the stretch to put away the 72-65 victory.
• The BW defense held Hamilton without a field goal for a span of 7:14 during the fourth quarter, allowing just one field goal after falling behind 59-52 with under eight minutes remaining.

The Yellow Jackets return to the court on Wednesday, January 4 as they travel to Alliance to take on the University of Mount Union in an Ohio Athletic Conference contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.