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MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – Catherine Noack (Bethlehem/Liberty) drilled a game-winning 3-pointer with five seconds remaining to send the Bloomsburg University women's basketball team to its ninth straight victory, a 79-77 triumph at Millersville on Wednesday evening.
 
Noack's clutch shot, aided by an assist from Jocelyn Ford (Lansing, NY/Lansing), lifted the Huskies from a one-point deficit they faced when head coach Bill Cleary called for timeout following a missed layup by the Marauders. Noack hauled in the defensive rebound to set up the final possession before Cleary drew up the game-winning play with six seconds to go.
 
The win improves Bloomsburg's record to 16-3 overall and 7-2 in PSAC East play and gives the Huskies sole possession of second place in the divisional standings as Millersville falls to 11-8, 6-3.
 
Wednesday's game was befitting a contest between two squads tied in the East Division hierarchy as the teams shared 21 ties and swapped the lead an additional 21 times throughout a very entertaining bout.
 
Millersville claimed the largest lead for either team at seven points (66-59) with 7:28 to play with a 7-0 run stopped by a Bloomsburg timeout. After the Huskies called for time, Morgan Klunk (Felton/York Catholic) delivered a 3-ball to stem the tide and start a 7-0 break of their own to tie the game once more at 66 with 4:39 remaining.
 
The Huskies briefly grabbed a 69-68 lead following a traditional 3-point play from Noack with 3:53 left, but the Marauders quickly were up four at 73-69 following a 3-pointer and two free throws on back-to-back possessions by Senada Mehmedovic.
 
A steal from Brianna Dudeck (Sugarloaf/Hazleton) set up another three from Klunk and a layup from Adreana Sadowski (Fleetwood/Brandywine Heights) gave the Huskies a 74-73 edge and 2:05 showing on the Pucillo Gymnasium scoreboard, but a BU foul sent Carly Gallagher to the line for two shots and a 75-74 advantage for the hosts. The Millersville lead would extend to three at 77-74, but Sadowski was sent to the line and calmly knocked in two free throws to cut the score to 77-76 with 33 seconds left. Millersville missed a layup opportunity, setting the stage for Noack's last-second heroics.
 
Things were tight from the outset, with 12 lead changes during the opening half. The end of the opening half would foreshadow the closing of the game – only with the Marauders sinking the buzzer-beater. A three from Klunk put Bloomsburg ahead, 37-36, with 14 seconds remaining, but Gallagher answered with a trey of her own in the waning moments to send Millersville into the break with a 39-37 lead.
 
Klunk put together her finest collegiate game, scoring a career and game-high 21 points. Noack added 17 points; Sadowski finished with 16 points and a team-best eight rebounds and Dudeck gave the Huskies a fourth player in double figures with 10 points.
 
Both teams shot well from the floor, with Millersville connecting on 28 of 57 attempts (49.1 percent) while Bloomsburg finished at 44.6 percent (25-56). Millersville won the battle of the boards 34-27, but the Huskies were nearly flawless at the foul line, making 24 of 25 attempts at the charity stripe.
 
Gallagher and Yasmin Cooper led Millersville with 16 points apiece with Cooper also adding 12 rebounds.
 
Bloomsburg returns home to host Lock Haven on Saturday as part of its Super Weekend of events at Nelson Field House. Saturday's game is slated for a 1 p.m. tipoff.
 
GAME NOTES: The Huskies 96 percent success rate at the foul line is the best mark for the team this season and the 24 free throws made also tie a season-best … the Huskies snapped a three-game losing streak vs. Millersville … Klunk's previous career-high was 14 points vs. nationally-ranked Gannon on Dec. 21 … Noack moved into a tie for third-place in Bloomsburg history with 207 career 3-pointers, tying Michelle Albanese (2001-05) and is now 19th in scoring (1,076 points) … Ford handed out six assists, leading the team in assists for the seventh time this season.