Morrill sinks winner with 1 second left

~ The Notre DAME girls earned the 56-54 win against St. Vincent.

PERRYVILLE -- When Notre Dame sophomore Jane Morrill attempted a jump shot a few feet from the basket with 1 second left in a tied game Wednesday, she had no idea how much time was left on the clock.

All she knew was that she was struggling offensively in the second half, with only four points and an 0-for-3 performance from the free-throw line.

She eventually had to get lucky.

"No idea," she said about how much time remained. "None whatsoever. I knew I had to shoot it though, because I knew it was getting close. But I said to myself, 'I got to make something' because I hadn't been doing good."

Notre Dame's Jane Morrill put up a shot over the heads of St. Vincent's Lacey Siegmund and Courtney Besand during the first quarter Wednesday. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Morrill's shot was good, helping the Bulldogs to a 56-54 road win over St. Vincent in girls basketball action.

Morrill scored 18 points -- 12 in the first half -- and collected 16 rebounds.

Notre Dame's Paige Schumer added 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Erika Reinagel also played well, scoring nine points, including converting three important baskets in the fourth quarter to help her team overcome a seven-point deficit early in that period.

Notre Dame jumped out to a 20-16 advantage after the first quarter and led 34-31 at halftime.

But St. Vincent went on a 13-0 run in the first 3 minutes, 42 seconds of the third to build a 44-34 lead.

Notre Dame's Amanda Pleimann sends a bounce pass to a teammate down low during the first quarter against St. Vincent on Wednesday, February 6, 2008. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Indians coach Terry Wengert told her team at halftime to play with confidence because it had looked strong so far.

St. Vincent did that and entered the fourth quarter leading 49-44. Indians junior Courtney Besand scored the first basket of the fourth to put her team ahead 51-44.

But Reinagel, who also collected five rebounds, pulled Notre Dame back into the game, scoring eight of her team's next nine points on a pair of 3-pointers and a breakaway layup. Her run gave the Bulldogs a 53-51 lead.

"During halftime, coach was telling us somebody needed to step up because no one was stepping up," Reinagel said. "I came into the fourth quarter and figured I'd play as hard as I can."

Notre Dame went up 54-51 with 48 seconds left on a successful free-throw attempt by Emily Brumitt.

But St. Vincent would not give up as Besand scored the next three points to tie the game at 54-54 with 35 seconds left.

It then went down to the final second, with Morrill hitting her jumper to end it.

"She's amazing," Reinagel said of Morrill. "We all love her on the team, and she helps us out a lot."

Notre Dame 20 14 10 12 -- 56

St. Vincent 16 15 18 5 -- 54

Notre Dame (56) -- Allyson Bradshaw 2, Emily Brumitt 6, Alex Fowler 7, Jane Morrill 18, Erika Reinagel 9, Paige Schumer 14. FG 20, FT 13-21, F 13 (3-pointers: Reinagel 2, Brumitt 1. Fouled out: none)

St. Vincent (54) -- Lacey Siegmund 12, Courtney Besand 19, Brooke Brown 9, Elizabeth Rozier 3, Jessica Welker 11. FG 22, FT 9-12, F 18 (3-pointers: Rozier 1. Fouled out: none)