COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's basketball fell in heartbreaking fashion, 72-68, in overtime on Saturday afternoon against Neumann University from Helfferich Hall.
 
With the loss, Ursinus moves to 2-2 to open the 2024-25 season, while the Knights improved to 2-1 overall.
 
 
Senior forward Chinwe Irondi paced the Bears offense with a career-high 33 points and 10 rebounds, while collecting her fourth consecutive double-double this season. Junior Madison Smith added her second double-double of the season behind 14 points and 10 rebounds. Irondi and junior Ava Possenti led the Bears defense with four steals apiece.
 
 
Ursinus connected on their second possession of the game as Irondi found Possenti cutting towards the basket for the opening score of the contest. Neumann quickly answered on the ensuing possession as a three-pointer from Lauren Klieber gave the Knights a 3-2 advantage with 8:33 remaining in the period. Neumann used a 7-2 run to stretch their lead to 10-4, before a pair of free throws and a layup from Irondi cut the Bears deficit to 13-9 with 3:43 remaining. Ursinus responded with six of the final eight points over the remainder of the quarter including a pair of free throws from senior Charlotte DiLello to tie the score at 15.
 

Neumann scored the first four points of the second quarter, until back-to-back baskets from Irondi tied the score at 19 with 8:18 remaining in the half. At the 7:43-mark, Possenti swiped a pass from the top of the key before collecting a fast break layup on the opposite end to give Ursinus a 21-19 lead. After an Irondi basket stretched the Bears lead to four, Neumann responded with a three-pointer and a layup to regain a 24-23 advantage with 6:23 to play in the half. The Bears responded with five consecutive points thanks to a DiLello three-pointer, but Neumann answered with a 12-7 run to close the first half and earned a 36-35 lead at the halftime break.
 

After the halftime adjustments, Ursinus netted an 8-2 run and controlled a 43-38 lead with 6:27 to play in the third quarter. Neumann recorded four straight points, until Smith connected on back-to-back shots to stretch the Bears lead to 47-42. The Knights went on a 4-0 run, while each defense stood tall and held the opposition scoreless for the next three minutes of play as Ursinus held a 47-46 lead with 1:04 remaining in the stanza. Neumann extended their run to 8-0, but Irondi connected on a jump shot with 12 seconds remaining in the quarter to cut the Bears deficit to 50-49 at the end of the third period.
 

Neumann opened the final quarter on a 6-2 run and held a 56-52 lead with 4:35 remaining in the quarter behind five straight points from Jacqueline Wardrop. Ursinus regained a 57-56 advantage as Irondi scored four of the next five points to give the Bears a one-point lead with 1:24 remaining in the contest. After a layup from the Knights, Irondi was sent to the free-throw line with 18 seconds remaining with Ursinus trailing 58-57. Irondi connected on one of her two free throws to tie the contest and force overtime with the score tied at 58.  
 

Junior Makenna Foder opened the extra period with a mid-range jump shot, but the Knights quickly answered with a bucket to tie the score with 3:59 to play. After an Irondi basket, Neumann connected on their next three shots to take a 66-62 lead with 2:18 remaining. Ironid and Smith would combine for the next six points for the Bears to tie the contest at 68, but Neumann connected on their final four free throws to ice the contest and earn a 72-68 road victory.
 

Ursinus shot 39.1% (27-of-69) from the field, 13.3% (2-of-15) from three-point range, and 75% (12-of-16) from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, the Knights ended the contest shooting 48.3% from the field, 42.9% (6-of-14) from deep, and 66.7% (10-of-15) from the free-throw line. Neumann capitalized off 20 Ursinus turnovers and created 22 points off the opportunities. Ursinus held a 44-36 lead in points in the paint and a 19-4 advantage in second chance points.
 
 
The Bears return to action on Tuesday, November 19th as they travel to Rosemont College for a non-conference matchup starting at 6 p.m.