Grand Rapids, Mich. — Some games leave you speechless, and tonight was one of them as Aquinas College hosted Siena Heights. Coach Brian Morris summed it up best: "I don't know what to tell you, I just don't know."

Despite adversity, the Saints never lost faith, played stellar team defense, and battled their way to a 61-52 victory over Siena Heights. The win keeps Aquinas just one game behind Indiana Tech, who secured a 76-60 win over Huntington, holding sole possession of second place in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC).

Aquinas 61, Siena Heights 52

Aquinas started strong with a three-pointer from Isabel Reemsnyder on the first shot of the game. Ashlyn Wilkes capped off the first quarter with a long-range three, giving AQ a 15-12 lead after one.

From there, things took a turn. Siena Heights opened the second quarter with a 13-0 run, dominating the period 22-3 and sending AQ into halftime trailing 34-18.

After the game, Ashlyn Wilkes reflected on the significance of the comeback victory: "It was very important to us. We talked in the locker room at halftime about what we needed to do as a team, and one of those things was playing good defense. We came out, we were us. We keep talking about being us, and we did what we were supposed to do. And, well, we won."

How did AQ overcome such a rough quarter? Coach Morris credited the team's mindset: "We continue to believe in what we are doing. Paige Guernsey told the team, 'We don't have to score to win, we can play defense,' and that was the key tonight."

Offensively, Aquinas had a balanced attack, with seven players scoring four or more points. Reemsnyder led the way with 18.

For those tracking milestones, Claire Gregwer, despite facing double-teams all night, recorded her ninth consecutive double-double, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

While AQ hit some key three-pointers, they shot just 6-for-20 from deep. However, free-throw shooting proved critical, as they went 15-for-18 from the line. Reemsnyder was clutch down the stretch, sinking 5-of-6 free throws in the closing moments to secure the win.

Siena Heights held a 50-49 lead with 3:30 remaining, but AQ closed the game on a dominant 12-2 run. Rhema Dozier hit a pair of free throws to put AQ up 51-50, and when Gregwer sank a jumper with 1:37 left, coupled with suffocating defense, Siena Heights had no response.

Coach Morris emphasized the collective effort: "While defense is the key for us, offense was a total team effort for sure."

The Saints' selflessness was evident in the stats: Emily Cline contributed six points and four rebounds; Paige Guernsey added nine points, seven boards, and four assists; off the bench, Dozier chipped in four points and two rebounds; Leah French recorded five points, a rebound, and an assist; and Brynn Reams tallied four rebounds and two steals.

After the game, Coach Morris praised his team's perseverance: "We got off to a slow start offensively but found our rhythm in the second half. Defensively, we missed too many assignments early, but we kept fighting."

The win improves AQ to 16-7 overall and 13-2 in conference play.

By the Numbers:

• Claire Gregwer: 13 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block (9th consecutive double-double).

• Paige Guernsey: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists.

• Ashlyn Wilkes: 6 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists.

• Isabel Reemsnyder: 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal.

• Tough 2nd Quarter: Siena Heights outscored AQ 22-3.

Up Next:

The Saints travel to the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) to take on the Racers, with tip-off set for 1:00 p.m.