Women’s basketball: V-Hawks come out on top in the final seconds

The Viterbo women's basketball team had overcome an 11-point deficit to Dickinson State University with a buzzer beater, putting the V-hawks on top at home at, R.W. Beggs Senior Gymnasium on Friday, February 8, 2019.

Junior Alyssa Nilssen had recorded her conference-leading 14th double-double of the season. Along with sophomore Ambree Schlosser, ending the night with a game-winning buzzer beater layup to give the team a victory of 59-57.

Overall, Viterbo improved to 9-14 overall, and 2-8 in the North Star Athletic Association. Their competitors, Dickinson State fell to 10-15 overall and 3-7 in conference play.

The game started slowly for the V-hawks, with the Blue Hawks running with a 15-6 lead after one quarter and went on an 8-0 run starting with 2:04 left in the opening period to give Dickinson State the game lead.

Viterbo went on a run within the second quarter, where freshman Madessa Collins from La Crosse hit a three-pointer to cut the Blue-Hawks lead down to a single point with 5:05 remaining in the half. Dickinson State's Riley Helmick hit back-to-back three-pointers to return the lead to seven points, but the V-Hawks scored six unanswered points to bring the score to a 25-24 Dickinson State lead.

Opening the second half, Collings had a field goal to give the V-Hawks their first lead of the game. Trailing by nine with 4:44 left in the third quarter, Viterbo hit a trio of three-pointers capped off by a field goal from Alyssa Nilssen to give the V-Hawks a 39-37 lead. Dickinson State would take a three-point lead heading into the final quarter.

The Blue Hawks looked to pull away in the final quarter, extending their lead to 10 points with 4:30 left in the game. Helmick scored nine of Dickinson State's 13 points in the quarter. The V-Hawks held Dickinson State scoreless for the rest of the game and made a furious comeback to the end.

Ambree Schlosser tied the game at 57-57 with 47 seconds left. Viterbo had the chance to take the lead in the final seconds when Schlosser hit a lay-up from the right side, to put the V-Hawks ahead. Thankfully, Dickinson State had fallen short to give the V-Hawks the win, 59-57.