NORTH CANTON, Ohio – Tiffin women's basketball trailed by just a point heading into the fourth quarter, but Walsh University was able to pull away and take an 87-73 victory on Thursday evening.
Tiffin was able to outwork Walsh on the boards, recording 39 rebounds to the Cavaliers' 32, and outscore the home team in the paint by six points. However, Walsh was able to get to the free throw line 45 times, making 28, while Tiffin went just 8-14.
Aarion Nichols got the start and led the Dragons with 14 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Allie Miller was the other Dragon in double figures with 12 points, while Jasmine Watts added eight points and eight boards.
TU got the scoring started with a three from Jensen Hiegel on their first possession, but Walsh was able to build a 23-17 lead after the opening period.
Tiffin made a comeback late in the second quarter, closing with eight unanswered points, including Miller's buzzer-beating layup that made it 42-41 at the break.
Hiegel opened the second-half scoring as well, driving for a scooping layup that gave the Dragons their first lead since it was 3-0 just after the game began. However, an 11-4 run by the Cavaliers put the home team back on top by six, 53-47, forcing a Tiffin timeout with 4:46 left in the third.
Ali Schirmer stopped the bleeding with a triple from the left corner, and the Dragons were able to stay close and head into the final period trailing by six, 59-53.
Sarah Cummings found herself wide open under the basket as Walsh fell asleep defensively out of the break, catching a long pass from midcourt but getting fouled before getting a chance to score. She made one of two from the line, and Allie Miller drained a triple on the next possession to bring Tiffin back within one, 59-58, with 9:42 to play in regulation.
That was as close as the Dragons would come to retaking the lead, however, as the Cavaliers responded with a 15-3 run that TU could not overcome.
The Dragons did not go away quietly, cutting the deficit to single digits a few times before the final horn sounded, but Walsh was able to hold on for the 87-73 victory.
Tiffin will not have to travel very far for their next contest, as they will make the trek across Canton to Malone University on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. tip.