Austin College Rally Comes Up Short at Trinity

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The No. 19/22-ranked Austin College women's basketball team saw its fourth quarter rally come up just short against No. 14/15-ranked Trinity on Saturday, falling to the Tigers 87-79 to bring their record to 18-3 overall and 11-3 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

The 'Roos found themselves trailing 20-19 after Sarah Gwin drilled a three at the buzzer in the first quarter, and after Trinity pushed the margin to double digits in the second, Austin College closed the half with a 9-2 run to head into the locker room trailing 42-35. The Tigers used a big third quarter to push their lead to 64-47 after three, and the lead grew to 68-49 with 8:15 left to play.

However, Ally Longaker's three started the Austin College rally, and Reagan Chiaverini followed with a trey of her own before Kacie West's basket cut it to a 68-57 game. Natalie McCoy scored to make it a 10-0 run before Trinity got a bucket to make it 70-59. Longaker and Gwin each scored to cut it to a 71-63 game, and after Trinity knocked down a three, Gwin answered with a triple of her own. West and Gwin both hit from long range again to trim it to 78-72 with 49 seconds left, and a layup and three pointer from McCoy got the margin down to 81-77 with 22 seconds to play. Longaker would score again with eight seconds left to keep it a four point margin at 83-79, but that's as close as things would get as Trinity would get a steal and a three-point-play in the closing seconds to seal the game.

McCoy scored 21 to lead the 'Roos in her first career start, hitting 7-of-12 from the field, including both of her threes. She also knocked down all five of her free throw attempts. Gwin came off the bench to score 17, hitting 4-of-6 from long distance, and West finished with 14. Longaker just missed out on a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, and also led the 'Roos with five assists.

Austin College is back in action next weekend as they host Southwestern and Texas Lutheran in the team's final two home games of the season. The 'Roos take on the Pirates on Friday evening before celebrating Senior Day against the Bulldogs on Saturday.