CSU Wins in Dramatic Buzzer Beater Fashion for 1st Win of the Season

Box Score Defense was the name of the game for Chicago State's 50-48 buzzer beater victory over Grand Canyon on Thursday, January 17, 2019 at Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center.
 
"I couldn't be prouder of our student-athletes and how they truly fought for this win," says Chicago State University first-year Head Coach, Misty Opat. "We have grown so much as a team since the beginning of the year and we must continue to trust the process. If we do, I'm hoping to have this feeling a lot more this season!"
 
The Cougars defense shined and made play difficult for the Lopes for the first and second quarter, as GCU shot just 7-28 from the floor. Junior forward Ines Mata Boix (Madrid, Spain/) recorded 13 of CSU's 20 first-half rebounds, as the Cougars took the games largest lead, 24-17 into the half.
 
The Lopes put the pressure on to begin the second half as GCU went on a 15-9 run to pull to within one of CSU. After a timeout, Chicago State countered with a 7-3 run to end the 3rd quarter with a 40-35 lead.
 
Grand Canyon had tied the game on three separate occasions in the fourth quarter their third came at the 1:45 mark when Kavita Akuk converted a jumper from the left side to tie the game at 48.
 
Both teams would turn the ball over in the games last three possessions. On the final play, Freshman guard Kourtney Crane (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) would find Junior Forward Alexandria Cliff (Manitowoc, Wis./Roncalli) open in the right corner and with 2 seconds left to drain the game-winning shot to give Chicago State their first WAC win of the year.
 
The victory is a special one for Head Coach Misty Opat, as this is her first win at the helm.
 
Next Game: Chicago State welcomes California State Bakersfield to the Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center this Saturday afternoon, January 19th at 2 p.m.
 
Livestreaming for the game can be found at WacSports.com.