Women's Basketball | 12/17/2012 10:18:00 PM
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December 17, 2012-Rachel Hanf hit a three pointer with .5 seconds left to send the game to overtime and finished with 16 points as Emporia State defeated West Texas A&M 69-65 in overtime at the First United Bank Center in Canyon, Texas. She was one of four Lady Hornets in double figures as Emporia State won their fourth straight game in Canyon dating back to the 2010 NCAA Regional.
Emporia State jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the first 1:43 thanks to five points from Laura Patrick. West Texas responded with a 13-5 run of their own to take a 15-14 lead with 9:53 left in the half. The Lady Buffs led 21-18 with 6:04 left in the half when the Lady Hornets went on an 8-0 run to go up 26-21 with 2:30 remaining. WT scored the final five points of the half to send the teams to the locker rooms tied at 26.
The two teams traded baskets to open the second half before the Lady Hornets went on an 8-1 run to match their biggest lead of the night at 36-29 with 11:57 left in the game. Emporia State led 51-45 with 5:04 left on a Merissa Quick lay-up when West Texas went on a 6-0 run, all from the free throw line. Devin Griffin hit a pair of free throws for the Lady Buffs with 3:06 left to tie the score at 51.
Quick gave the Lady Hornets the lead back with a jumper in the lane at the 2:40 mark, only to see Chontiquah White hit two free throws with 2:16 left to tie the game at 53. White would hit the Lady Buffs first field goal in nearly five minutes when she connected with 1:37 left to give WT a 55-53 lead. Devin Griffin hit one of two free throws with 22 seconds left to give West Texas a 56-53 lead. The Lady Hornets turned the ball over on the inbounds pass and were forced to foul. Raven Gerald missed two free throws with 17 seconds left to leave the door open for Emporia State. Hanf missed a three pointer with 11 seconds left and the Lady Hornets were again forced to foul. With a chance to ice the game, Gerald missed another two free throws with eight seconds left setting up Hanf's game tying three.
Emporia State scored the first six points of the overtime capped by a steal and lay-up from Rheanna Egli with 3:49 left. White hit two free throws with 3:20 left to break the Lady Hornet run and Gerald hit a lay-up with 2:53 left to bring West Texas within 62-60. Egli answered with a three pointer 20 seconds later to give her seven points in the OT and the Lady Hornets a 65-60 lead. White hit one of two free throws and Gerald nailed a three pointer with 1:27 left to pull the Lady Buffs within 65-64. With the shot clock running down Hanf hit a layup to give Emporia State a 67-64 lead with 58 seconds left. Gerald connected on one of two free throws with 35 seconds left to get WT within a bucket but Haley Parker hit both ends of a one and one, the Lady Hornets first of the second half, with 1.2 seconds left to ice the win.
Hanf led four Lady Hornets in double figures withe 16 points and her three pointer at the end of regulation tied her with Nicole Patry for fifth all-time at Emporia State. Egli had 14 points, half of them in the overtime, and a career high five steals. Laura Patrick had 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals while Merissa Quick added 11 points in just 21 minutes before fouling out. Carly Spicer had a career high six points on three of three shooting and six rebounds for the Lady Hornets.
As a team Emporia State outscored West Texas by 18 points from the field, but the Lady Buffs connected on 25 of 36 free throws compared to an 11 of 15 effort from the stripe for the Lady Hornets. Emporia State was outrebounded 46-37 put was able to force 22 West Texas turnovers to just 12 for the Lady Hornets.
Emporia State will play Abilene Christian on Tuesday in the unofficial championship game of the West Texas Golf Cars Lady Buff Christmas Classic. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. at the First United Bank Center in Canyon, Texas.
NOTES:
Hanf now has 157 made three pointers to tie Nicole Patry (2001-05) for fifth on the Lady Hornet career list. Next up is Andrea Leiker (2005-09) with 168.
Three Lady Hornets fouled out of a game for the first time since a 73-58 loss to Washburn in the NCAA South Central Regional final on March 17, 2008, also in Canyon, Texas.
