The Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team rallied back from a 16-point deficit on Wednesday night to pull within two points in the closing minute, but could not complete the comeback in a 68-64 loss to Albion College at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland, Ohio.

The loss dropped the Spartans to 2-5 on the year, while Albion improved to 4-1.

Senior guard/ forward Abbey Lawrence scored 13 of her game-high 17 points in the second half, finishing the game shooting seven-of-16 overall, and adding five rebounds, an assist and a block. Sophomore forward Kayla Characklis matched a school-record with six blocks (previously set six times and most recently by former Spartan Kara Hageman in 2017), while adding a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, both career bests. Junior guard McKenna Gross added a season-high 16 points and matched her career high with six assists in the game.

The Spartans grabbed a 2-0 lead early on the first basket of the game, a two-pointer by junior guard/ forward Isabella Mills, but the Britons tied the contest on the next possession, and CWRU would not lead again for the remainder of the game. However, the Spartans kept the contest within a possession for most of the opening quarter and trailed 18-15 at the end of the opening period. A layup by Lawrence to open the second quarter cut the Albion lead down to just a point, but a 9-0 run by the Britons extended their lead to 27-17 by the 6:12 mark, and Albion went on to lead 37-25 at halftime.

Albion led by as many as 16 in the third quarter, and took a 13-point lead, 59-46, into the start of the fourth. CWRU utilized an 11-1 run to cut the lead down to just five points on a layup by Mills with 4:10 to play that made the score 62-57. The Spartans continued to chip away, and an and-one converted by Lawrence with 1:29 left, followed by a layup by Lawrence with 49 seconds to go, cut the Britons' lead down to just two points, 66-44. CWRU forced a turnover and had a chance to tie the game, but could not get the equalizing shot to fall, and a pair of free throws in the closing seconds put the game out of reach for the Spartans.

The Spartans finished the game shooting 35.4% (23-of-65) overall, including four-of-16 (25.0%) from three-point range, and connected on 82.4% (14-of-17) of their free throws.

Dereonna Little led all Albion players with 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

The Spartans will continue their four-game home stand after Thanksgiving, when Case Western Reserve plays host to Denison University at 3:00 p.m. inside Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland, Ohio.