Wheeler, Rutgers down Louisville in OT
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Erica Wheeler drained a go-ahead three- 68 victory against No. 16 Louisville.
Wheeler finished with 23 points for the Scarlet Knights (15-2, 4-0 Big East), who have won six in a row. April Sykes added 19 and Monique Oliver scored 17 in the victory.
Freshman Shawnta' Dyer had 16 points to lead the Cardinals (14-4, 2-2), who have dropped two of three.
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Louisville lost Saturday's game after blowing a double-digit lead. It was ahead 41-28 after Becky Burke made three foul shots with 16:29 to play, the largest lead either team had the entire game.
But Sykes followed with a jumper and drilled a three-pointer moments later, and Rutgers continued to whittle down its deficit quickly. Sykes' jumper with 12:13 remaining pulled the Scarlet Knights within 43-39.
After Khadijah Rushdan sank a layup with 7:46 left, tying the score at 48-48, the contest was back-and-forth the rest of the way.
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The game went to overtime after Rutgers didn't take advantage of numerous opportunities in the final minutes.
With 1:36 to play in regulation, Oliver made 1-of-2 free throws to give the hosts a 59-58 edge. After the Cardinals' Bria Smith made two foul shots with 29 seconds left, Wheeler got to the line and had a chance to put Rutgers back in front. But she also made just 1-of-2.
The Scarlet Knights had another chance to take the lead when Shoni Schimmel turned the ball over at the other end, but Sykes and Wheeler missed jumpers.
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But Wheeler came through in the extra period, when her three-pointer made it a 70-68 contest. Burke then turned the ball over, and Smith missed a potential tying layup with three seconds to play. Rushdan made 1-of-2 foul shots to secure the victory.