Audio from Lisa Staehlin's game-winning basket.

HILLSDALE, Mich. — Lisa Staehlin's layup with less than a second remaining lifted the No. 15 Michigan Tech women's basketball team to a 54-52 win at No. 4 Hillsdale tonight. The game, which featured 14 lead changes, wasn't decided until Alicia Schneider's pinpoint half-court pass with 1.8 seconds on the clock found Staehlin alone under the hoop.

Charger All-American Katie Cezat had a chance to give her team the lead with :37 remaining, but she only made one-of-two free throws. Tech ran 25 seconds off the clock in a 52-all tie before Staehlin put up a left handed scoop shot which rimmed out. HC's Brooke Knight grabbed the outlet pass and found a teammate wide open under the basket.

The opportunity at the game winner was foiled as Tech's Tara Ferris took a charge on Knight at midcourt as she threw the pass. The play proved to the game-changing moment.

Instead of being down two with the ball in the backcourt, the Huskies received the ball at midcourt with 1.8 left. Schneider timed the pass perfectly as Staehlin became open, and the sophomore center did the rest.

"What a big win for us," said head coach John Barnes. "The play was originally designed to get Zimm (Katie Zimmerman) the ball, but they were fronting Lisa so far out that I had Zimm set the screen. Alicia made a great pass.

"Tara made such a heads-up play to get us the ball back. It was a total team effort."

Cezat's jumper with 6:16 to play gave Hillsdale a 48-47 lead, but it was the last field goal the Chargers would score in the game. The Huskies' defense allowed just three points the rest of the way — all free throws — while scoring seven on Sarah Stream's three-point play, a free throw each from Stream and Zimmerman and Staehlin's layup.

Hillsdale gave the Black and Gold fits all night with second-chance opportunities. The hosts pulled down 18 offensive boards and turned them into 23 points.

The Huskies countered by winning the turnover margin. They turned HC's 14 errors into 22 points while committing just nine turnovers.

Tech shot 41 percent from the floor compared to 32 percent for the Hillsdale.

Staehlin's 12 points was a team high. Katie Wysocky added 11 points and 12 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season.

Cezat posted 17 points and 19 rebounds to lead all players in both categories. She was just 6-of-22 from the field, however, and finished 10 points below her season average.

Michigan Tech will remain on the road and face Findlay on Saturday (Jan. 17). Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Notes: Tonight's game was Tech's first against a ranked opponent since Feb. 27, 2007, when it won at #12 Grand Valley State in the opening round of the GLIAC Tournament ... The halftime score favored Tech 30-28 ... The Huskies' bench outscored Hillsdale's 18-3.