The Miami University women's basketball 2016-17 campaign came to an end on Monday night after a 73-66 road loss to Western Michigan University in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
The Broncos quickly jumped out to a 9-4 to start the contest. While a three by freshman guard Lauren Dickerson halted the opening run, WMU regained control en route to a 18-12 lead after one.
Both squads traded baskets throughout the second frame. Buckets from sophomore guard Leah Purvis, sophomore guard Leah McCoy, freshman guard Abbey Hoff and Dickerson helped the 'Hawks keep pace as the Broncos took a 34-28 lead into halftime.
The Red and White opened the second half on a 12-6 run as a Dickerson triple knotted the score at 40-all. Another Dickerson three helped MU match WMU as both teams ended up even at fifty with ten minutes left to play.
With just over two minutes left to play, the game was tied at 65 apiece and both squads had their season on the line. The RedHawks went cold down the stretch as the Broncos ended the contest on an 8-1 run to clinch a berth in the MAC tournament semifinals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Miami has failed to advance past the first round of the tournament. MU hit on 37.9 percent of its field goal attempts, while WMU hit on 43.1 percent of its shots for the game.
Dickerson finished with a career-high 33 points, breaking the school mark for points in a season with 520. This record-breaking performance helped her earn MAC Freshman of the Year Honors.
"Lauren is a special player and a great teammate," said head coach Cleve Wright. "She has obviously made an immediate impact on our team. Her passion to compete elevates her game and her teammates. She is worthy of this award and we are very excited for her."
McCoy recorded a double-double for the 'Hawks with 13 points and 11 boards. Senior guard Meredith Shipman led the Broncos with 30 points on the night.
The Red and White now look to rebound next year as every player on the current roster is set to return for the 2017-18 season.
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