Girls Basketbal: Loyola beats Mother McAuley in GCAC semifinals

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Updated: March 3, 2012 11:33AM

Loyola’s Maggie Nick did not have to wait long for a second chance Wednesday to put her team in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference final.

The 5-foot-7 sophomore, who missed a short jumper in the lane with two seconds remaining in the first overtime that would have won the game, made two free throws late in the second overtime to seal Loyola’s 68-62 double-overtime victory over No. 7 Mother McAuley in the GCAC semifinals at Trinity.

Nick finished with 12 points, none bigger than the two with 40 seconds left that gave the Ramblers a 66-62 lead, the biggest by either team over the final 11 minutes of play.

“My teammates gave me the confidence and my coaches told me that I can do it,” Nick said. “I blocked out everything else and my teammates helped me to get through it.”

Loyola (21-6) will face Trinity (24-1) in the championship at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in River Forest. McAuley (16-10) will play St. Ignatius (17-9) for third place at 4 p.m.

Loyola opened the second half against McAuley with a 9-2 run to build a 39-26 lead. The Ramblers led 44-31 with 1:27 remaining in the third quarter before the Mighty Macs’ full-court pressure began to take a toll on the Ramblers.

McAuley finally pulled even on two Tiffany Fortune free throws with 1:04 left in regulation. Both teams had chances to win in regulation, but Loyola turned the ball over with 8.5 seconds left and McAuley reciprocated with one second remaining.

McAuley led only once during the final 24 minutes, at 61-59 on a basket by Fortune 1:18 into the second overtime. Lauren Kriz pulled Loyola even with two free throws seven seconds later and the Ramblers never trailed again.

Kriz led Loyola with 18 points. Alyssa Siwek scored 11 points for McAuley before fouling out with 2:31 remaining in the first overtime. Brenna Nolan and Fortune also had 11 points for the Mighty Macs.