CALDWELL, N.J. – In an epic battle between the top two teams in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division, the Caldwell University women's basketball team outlasted Bloomfield College in double-overtime, 87-82 Tuesday night in an electric George R. Newman Center. The win leaves both teams with identical 15-4 conference records, with the Cougars (18-10 overall) earning the top seed in the North by virtue of their two victories over the Bears (17-9) this season.

The first half went back and forth with five ties and three lead changes. Caldwell led by as many as six points, including 27-21 with 6:21 left in the half. Bloomfield responded with eight straight points to pull ahead, 29-27 with 2:49 on the clock. Baskets by freshman forward Karlie O'Driscoll (Sharon, MA/Sharon) and sophomore guard Antoinette Pilla (Scarsdale, NY/Ardsley) sandwiched around a jumper by Tierra Scott made the halftime score 31-31. Pilla hit three of the Cougars' five threes in the half and ended up with 11 points.

In the second half, the Bears struck first with a 12-5 run in building a 47-40 advantage at the 13:51 mark. Caldwell cut the deficit to one, 51-50 with a 10-4 run, only to have De'Andra Humphries make a three for a 54-50 lead with nine minutes to play. Undeterred, the Cougars grabbed control of the game with a 16-4 spree sparked by five points apiece from Pilla and junior guard Nicole Angelo (Mount Laurel, NJ/Camden Catholic) for a 66-58 lead at the four-minute mark.

Bloomfield tightened up the defense at that point, holding Caldwell without a field goal for the remainder of regulation to get back in the game. A pair of free throws by Ariel Wilson with under a minute to play made it a one-point game, 68-67. After senior forward Emily Caswell (Wakefield, RI/Prout School) hit two free throws with seven seconds on the clock, Tianna Smith threw up a three-pointer at the buzzer that hit the front of the rim and rolled in, sending the game to overtime.

In the first extra period, Bloomfield maintained momentum and built a 79-74 lead with just 31 seconds left. Caswell hit two more free throws, then the Bears missed the front end of a 1-and-1, giving Caldwell the ball with 14 seconds remaining. This time it was Angelo's turn to hit a game-tying three, draining a trey from deep as time expired.

A quick basket by freshman guard Sharell Sanders (Dorchester, MA/St. Mary's) and two free throws from O'Driscoll put the Cougars in control, 83-79. Bloomfield cut it to one, 83-82 with 15 seconds left, only to have Angelo make two freebies with 13 seconds remaining for a three-point edge. This time Smith's potential game-tying three was off the mark, with Caswell grabbing the rebound and hitting both free throws to clinch the win. Caldwell made all 20 of its attempts from the charity stripe and snared 20 offensive rebounds in building a 51-42 advantage on the glass.

In her final regular-season game, Caswell registered 25 points and 19 rebounds while making all 10 of her free throw attempts. Her 22 double-doubles lead all of Division II this season. Pilla finished with 18 points, while Angelo and O'Driscoll added 14 points each. O'Driscoll also had seven rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. Morgan Taylor led Bloomfield with 21 points, and Iman Williams added 20 points, seven boards and three steals.

Caldwell honored seniors Caswell, Jessica Coscia (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) and Morgan Thompson (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) before the game. In a display of true sportsmanship, the Bears allowed Thompson, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on Dec. 20, to score the game's first points. The Cougars allowed Scott to score on the next possession.

Caldwell will host Goldey-Beacom College, the No. 4 seed from the CACC South, in the first round of the CACC Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 28. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. in the Newman Center.