Dixon does enough to survive Cavs

Kacie Dillow and Maggie Bushman both hit a pair of free throws down the stretch, and Carly Hartle made two plays that won't show up in the box score to deliver a 39-36 Dixon victory over LaSalle-Peru on Tuesday at Lancaster Gym.

Dillow, a senior guard, splashed her freebies with 33.4 seconds left to give Dixon (9-14, 4-4 Northern Illinois Big 12 West) a 37-35 lead.

"There's a time when I'd think, 'All right, this is crucial. This is the end of the game. I've really got to make these. We're tied,' " said Dillow, who finished with 10 points, three rebounds and two steals. "But I hit a point where I thought, 'Relax. You can do this.' "

On the other end, Hartle poked an entry pass intended for Ellie Senica out of bounds. When the Cavaliers (9-13, 2-6) got the sophomore post the ball off the inbounds, Hartle forced an airball.

The Duchesses swarmed fellow sophomore post Hannah Wolfe on the rebound and tied her up to gain possession on the jump ball.

Bushman, a sophomore guard, drew a foul down low and hit her throws. Even if the first rattled against virtually every inch of the iron, she wasn't fazed.

"That was one of the better times I handled pressure," Bushman said. "I wanted to make those for the team.

"When we fight for our wins, it makes us all grow together. We're a very close team, but wins like these make us even closer."

The Cavs got one more freebie, but fell short yet again at Lancaster.

"Dixon has our number, for whatever reason," L-P coach Hollis Vickery said.

Dixon enjoyed a 32-30 rebound edge, and both teams shot 11-for-30 from the 2-point range and hit two 3s (Dixon 2-for-6, L-P 2-for-10).

A lackluster first half that ended with Dixon up 12-11 saw both teams shoot 4-for-18 from the field. Struggling with her shot, Dixon junior Brooke Bailey (18 points on 6-for-16 shooting, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) turned to playmaking. She found Taylor Colby with a slick block-to-block feed for a bunny that built a 16-11 lead.