Franciscan 76, Penn State Beaver 78 

Franciscan Starters 
Jazzlyn Melnyk, Abbigail Jannuzi, Hannah Johnson, Lucy Wilkinson, & Magdalen Simon

How It Happened 
    Franciscan Women's Basketball hosted Penn State Beaver for a rare lunchtime tip on a Tuesday. The Lions came out strong to start the game and led for 38 straight minutes, but the Barons had one of their best second halves to battle all the way back to send it to overtime.
    The Barons had several quality looks in the opening quarter, but they were just able to make a pair of field goals. The Lions were able to put up 17 points to hold a 17-5 lead through the first quarter. The Barons were able to get the offense going in the second quarter, as they were able to dominate the glass. They pulled in 32 rebounds, as Jazzlyn Melnyk led all Barons with eight at the half. The Lions were able to win the battle in the paint and at the free throw line, as they grew the lead to 34-15 at halftime. 
    The third quarter was a night and day difference, as the Barons shot 59% from the floor. They rallied to score 30 points, the second-most that they had scored in a quarter all season, and double their offensive production of the first half. Isa Saez-Pedraza was a major contributor, as she led the Barons with 20 points. They held Penn State Beaver to 20 points in the third to have a nine-point game heading into the fourth quarter. Simon, Melnyk, and Saez-Pedraza each made three-point field goals in the fourth, as the Barons kept chipping away at the hole. Simon connected on another three-pointer with two minutes left to take their first lead at 66-64. The Barons maintained the lead, but then with four seconds left, the Lions hit a layup on a sideline out of bounds play to send us to overtime.
    This was the Barons' first trip to overtime since February of 2015. The Lions took the early edge, as they built a six-point lead through three minutes of play. The Barons answered with a 6-0 run to tie it up with 27 seconds to play. The Lions used another sideline out of bounds play to make a tough layup to take the lead, and that held on to win the game. 

Inside the Numbers 
- Saez-Pedraza doubled her career-high in scoring.
- Melnyk recorded her sixth double double of the year with a season-high 18 rebounds.
- Melnyk added six assists and steals while playing 44 minutes.
- 61 rebounds tied a season-high for the Barons.

Up Next 
Franciscan will have some time off for Thanksgiving, as they return to competition on Wednesday at Waynesburg. This will be the first of 16 PAC games in a row, and the first of two meetings against the Yellow Jackets. Both of these teams are part of the PAC South, alongside Bethany, Washington & Jefferson, Saint Vincent, and Chatham. The Barons are looking to beat the Yellow Jackets for the first time since February of 2023. 

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