Reading, Pa. (Jan. 25, 2025) - Alvernia University's (10-7, 4-2) Ryleigh Poole hit a 3-pointer with just under five seconds to play to secure a 74-73 win over Stevenson University (7-10, 2-4) on Saturday afternoon in a MAC Commonwealth women's basketball matchup at Alvernia's Jack McCloskey Court.

In a game that saw nine lead changes, 17 ties, and neither team lead by more than eight, the contest was poised to come down to the wire. The Mustangs hit a go-ahead free throw with 23 seconds to play. Alvernia called a timeout and advanced the ball. After nearly timing out on the inbounds below the basket, Alvernia had to call a second timeout to reset. After a successful inbounds, the ball was kicked out to Poole, who was positioned beyond the arc and in front of Alvernia's bench. With the clock ticking down, Poole sent up a rainbow of a shot that dropped straight into the basket for the go-ahead score. Stevenson advanced the ball with three seconds left and got the ball in play, but turned it over before a shot could be attempted as Alvernia came away with the 74-73 win.

How it Happened

• The Mustangs took an early 4-0 lead through the first two minutes of action - it would end up being their largest lead for the remainder of the game. Alvernia got on the board with a 3-pointer from Olivia Burke two and half minutes into the game, and took the 5-4 lead on a Burke layup off the Jordyn Ingelido assist to ignite the back and forth between the Mustangs and Golden Wolves. 
• As the opening quarter was winding down, Alvernia was in position to take a two point lead into the second frame after Poole hit a layup with 25 seconds to go. But, Stevenson hit a buzzer-beating layup to tie the game at 19-19 heading into the second.
• Each team traded layups through the opening 2:17 of the quarter as the game picked in pace. Alvernia was then slowed for about two minutes, but stayed right with the Mustangs on made free throws from Ingelido and Kylie Bradford. The quarter hit its midpoint with the two teams locked at 29 each.
• Later in the quarter, the Mustangs took a 34-31 lead with 2:16 to play, but Alvernia once again had the answer with a Kyla Reed 3-pointer with 1:51 to play to tie it at 34-34. Reed's 3-pointer sparked an 8-0 run for Alvernia - it's largest run of the game - to close out the half and give the Golden Wolves a 39-34 lead. Reed bookended the run with another 3-pointer for the Golden Wolves.
• Alvernia held onto its lead through the first two minutes of the second half before Stevenson tied it back up at 44-44 on a layup off a block against Alvernia. 
• The Mustangs tied it up twice more before Olivia Burke broke the 48-48 tie with a jumper with five minutes to play in the quarter, and a 3-pointer from Paige O'Brien 30 seconds later gave Alvernia the 53-48 lead. 
• Alvernia held onto the lead for the remainder of the quarter, building it up to as much as eight, 60-52, on a Reed 3-pointer with 2:37 to play. The Mustangs closed in a bit to end the quarter, but Alvernia held a three point advantage, 62-59, heading into the final ten minutes.
• The Mustangs closed within one in the opening minute of the fourth, but Alvernia held them off and built its lead back up to six, 67-61, on a three point play by Jennah DeGout with seven minutes to play.
• Stevenson did not let Alvernia run away, and tied the game at 67-67 after Alvernia was held scoreless for over three minutes. DeGout ended the scoring drought for Alvernia with a layup with 3:45 to play, giving Alvernia back the lead, 69-67. 
• The Mustangs took a three point lead, 72-69, with 2:28 to play. The scoring slowed on both sides, with a Burke layup with 1:09 to play marking the only points scored for nearly 90 seconds. 
• The score remained 72-71 until the Mustangs made it a two point game, 73-71, with 23 seconds to play on a made free throw.
• Alvernia then called its timeout and found Poole on its second inbounding attempt to secure the 74-43 win.

Inside the Box Score

• Olivia Burke led Alvernia with 16 points, and also had six boards and two assists.
• Jennah DeGout and Jordyn Ingelido also finished in double-digits. DeGout ended with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds, and Ingelido had ten points with a team-high three assists.

Up Next

• Alvernia completes its first round of conference play on Wednesday at Hood.