It wasn’t without some high drama, but the Austin girls basketball team survived a battle with Rochester Century as it won its sixth straight game by a score of 51-49 in Ove Berven Gym Friday night.

“It’s probably our biggest win of the year so far as a team. It gets us over .500 for the first time,” Austin head coach Gary Peterson said.

The Packers (7-6 overall, 4-3 Big Nine) looked to be headed for a sure win as they led by three with their leading scorer at the line and four seconds left. But Babaye Oja, who had 18 points, nine rebounds, and five steals, missed both free throws and the Panthers had a chance.

Century’s Alyssa Lewis got a couple of steps inside the halfcourt line as she hurled up a last second prayer that was well off as time expired.

But she was fouled.

Lewis, an eighth grader who missed all of eight of her three-point attempts on the night, made the first free throw, but she missed the second one after Austin called a timeout to ice her.

Austin junior Taylor Lady, who had 12 points, seven rebounds and two steals was called for the foul on the last shot.

“She dipped that shoulder down and I fell thinking I might get a charge (on her), but I didn’t,” Lady said. “It was one of the hardest things (watching her shoot those free throws).”

Peterson felt Lady played pretty good defense and he was glad to see the call didn’t give the Panthers (8-6 overall, 5-2 Big Nine) a second chance.

“I would’ve felt bad for Taylor if (Lewis) would’ve made all three free throws and we would’ve lost in overtime,” he said. “Luckily she missed that second one, because they would’ve had the momentum in overtime.”

The Packers closed the first half on a 10-0 run that saw Lady score seven points in a three and a half minute span and the Panthers never tied the game in the second half. Century did have two game-tying three point attempts come up short with under a minute to go.

Austin’s defense got the job done throughout most of the night as the Packers forced 25 turnovers and they held one of the Panthers’ top scorers, freshman Kanani Asuncion to just four points on two-of-eight shooting. The Packers contained Asuncion with a box-and-one that saw Merideth Fritz, Alex Hansen and Lady all take turns chasing her around while the other four players played a zone in the middle.

“We all just wanted to shut down (Asuncion),” Lady said. “We were all really determined.”

Unfortunately for Austin, they didn’t contain Century’s other big scorer as Morgan Hartmann scored 25 points and hit six of her seven three pointers to keep the Panthers in the game.

Century scored the first seven points to open the game but Austin responded with an 8-0 run.

The Packers are glad to have their winning streak alive as they prepare to travel to Winona (3-8 overall) Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

“This is huge. We’re on such a roll,” Lady said of the win streak. “Next Tuesday we play Winona and they kicked us out of sections last year. Hopefully we come back and beat them.”

Jenna Svoboda had six points, six rebounds and five steals for the Packers.

Century 16 33 — 49

Austin 28 23 — 51

Austin scoring: Babaye Oja, 18; Taylor Lady, 12; Steph Justice, 9; Jenna Svoboda, 6; Merideth Fritz, 4; Marwa Omot, 2; field goals: 30 percent (19-for-64); three-pointers: 20 percent (2-for-10); free throws: 41 percent (11-for-27); rebounds: 32 (Oja, 9); turnovers: 18

Century scoring: Morgan Hartmann, 25; Alecia Kupfer, 6; Kanani Asuncion, 4; Alice Zumbrunnen, 4; Myesha Caldwell, 4; Alyssa Lewis, 3; Samantha Mauer, 2; Bethany Schultz, 1; field goals: 30 percent (19-for-63); three-pointers: 32 percent (6-for-19); free throws: 56 percent (5-for-9); rebounds: 37 (Kupfer, 10); turnovers: 25