PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Sophomore Mackenzie Riccitelli scored on a layup with 17.9 seconds remaining as The College of Wooster women's basketball escaped with a 59-58 win in their season opener at LaRoche University on Saturday.
 
The Scots were put in a position to win after a pair of missed free throws. With Ace Sturdivant inbounding the ball from the side, the junior lobbed a pass to a streaking Riccitelli for the game winning backdoor layup.
 
The quick play gave LaRoche one last opportunity, which the Wooster defense denied.
 
Riccitelli and Sturdivant were the leaders for the Scots with Riccitelli dropping 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Sturdivant followed with 13 points and six rebounds.
 
LaRoche's Jazmine Dunn scored a game-high 24 points.
 
Wooster started the game able to get the ball inside with success, but unfortunately, the shots were not going down. It wasn't until a long 3-pointer from the wing from Riccitelli broke a 0-for-5 start.
 
Wooster only made three field goals in the first quarter but got it done from the foul line going 5-for-6. A layup from Ella Biondi and a 3-pointer from Sturdivant concluded a 6-0 that gave Wooster a 13-10 advantage at the break.
 
Sturdivant started the quarter with a corner 3-pointer, followed by sister Pink Sturdivant's first collegiate points on a fast break layup. Pink Sturdivant finished with seven points and six rebounds.
 
Fellow first-year Graysen Redpath got into the scoring column with her first Wooster points to push the team's lead to 20-12. Scoring slowed a bit but Wooster maintained their lead, capped with a Riccitelli 3-pointer near the end of the first half for Wooster to hold a 31-24 halftime lead.
 
LaRoche cut Wooster's lead to three at 36-33 just three minutes into the third. Wooster still led 45-41 at the end of three quarters as LaRoche won their first quarter.
 
Sophomore Abby Henegar had a nice highlight in the fourth, hitting a jumper and then assisting on a fast break to put Wooster ahead 49-43. In her basketball debut, Henegar finished with seven points, four rebounds and two assists.
 
La Roche took their first lead since the first quarter on a pair of free throws with 2:32 remaining.
A Riccitelli 3-pointer put Wooster back on top, but LaRoche tied it at 56 on the other end.
 
Riccitelli scored on the next possession, but it was negated on the charge call.
A tough layup by Dunn gave LaRoche a 58-56 lead.
 
Sophomore Ellery Kloek hit 1-of-2 free throws to get Wooster to 57 before it set the stage for Riccitelli's game winner.
 
First-year Hannah Stroebe gave Wooster good minutes off the bench. Her nine rebounds were a game-high and she added five points.
 
Wooster shot 36 percent (20-55) from the floor and 43 percent (6-14) from range. From the foul line they also shot a stellar 81 percent (13-16).
 
LaRoche shot 31 percent (19-61) and 76 percent (19-25) from the foul line but shot just seven percent (1-15) from 3-point range.
 
Wooster outrebounded LaRoche 44-27 and outscored them 12-6 in second chance points, 9-8 in fast break and 17-13 in bench points. LaRoche (0-1) added 20 points off 24 Wooster turnovers.
 
Wooster (1-0) returns home for a slate of home games next week, starting with its home opener Tuesday when they host Franciscan University.