DELAWARE, Ohio – A last second shot to tie the game was off the mark as the Marietta College women's basketball team lost to Ohio Wesleyan University by the score of 65-63 in the championship game of the Hoops For Hope Tournament Friday (Dec. 30) afternoon. The loss drops Marietta to 8-4 overall, while Ohio Wesleyan improves to 4-7 on the season. [Box Score]

Marietta trailed by double figures most of the game but mounted a comeback in the final minutes and had a chance to force overtime.  Sophomore #Tori Dixon (Londonderry/Vinton County)# drained a three-pointer with 1:59 remaining to cap an 8-0 Pioneer run and close to within four of the Bishops, 61-57.

Following a Dixon layup with 8 seconds left that cut the Bishop lead to two, 65-63, Ohio Wesleyan's Tavia Croom went to the line with a chance to make it a two possession game. Croom missed the front end of the one-and-one.

The Bishop defense managed to knock the ball out of bounds under the Marietta basket with 2 ticks left on the clock. Following a timeout, Marietta went to their leading scorer, but the #Aleisha Guiler (Lower Salem/Monroe Central)# jumper rimmed out allowing Ohio Wesleyan to escape with the victory.

Guiler and Dixon were named to the all-tournament team for the Pioneers. Guiler led all scorers in the game with 22 points. She added seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Dixon chipped in with six points.

Freshman #Candice Alexander (Fairborn/Fairborn)# scored seven points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.  Junior #Kristeva Rowe# and freshman #Sierra Sigman (Chillicothe/Zane Trace)# each chipped in with seven points. Rowe dished out a game-high six assists.

Tournament Most Valuable Player Sarah McQuade scored 16 points to lead Ohio Wesleyan. Caroline Walker and Mary Corbett scored 14 and 12 points, respectively. Tamra Londot posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. LaNiece McRae earned all-tournament honors after pulling down 10 boards.

As a team, Marietta shot 33.9% (21-of-62) from the floor, 26.7% (4-of-15) from three-point land and 70.8% (17-of-24) from the free throw line.

Ohio Wesleyan hit 24-of-60 (40.0%) from the floor, 4-of-13 (30.8%) from behind the arc and was 13-of-17 (76.5%) from the charity stripe.

Marietta grabbed 42 rebounds to 40 for the Bishops. Ohio Wesleyan committed 24 turnovers and the Pioneers had 22.

Marietta is back to Ohio Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, January 4th with a 7:30 p.m. game at Mount Union.