January 14, 2015-The #3 Lady Hornets overcame a four point deficit with 1:32 left to force overtime and get a 65-61 win at #2 Pittsburg State on Wednesday night. Merissa Quick had 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for Emporia State in the win.
The Lady Hornets jumped out to an 8-3 lead and led 10-5 before the Gorillas went on an 8-2 run of their own to take a 13-12 lead with 10:10 left in the first half. It was the first of eight lead changes in the opening 20 minutes. Pitt State led 25-24 with 2:06 left in the half when Addie Lackey scored five straight to give Emporia State a 29-25 lead with 1:04 left. Lizzy Jeronimus would hit a layup with 45 seconds left to make the score 29-27 at the half.
That layup was the first of eight straight points for Jeronimus as she score the first six of the second half to give Pitt State a 33-29 lead with 17:49 left. Emporia State came back with jumpers from Lackey and Kelsey Barnwell to tie the score at 33 with 15:36 left. There would be four ties and three lead changes over the next ten minutes until the Lady Hornets took a 50-47 lead on a layup by Ashton Bruner with 4:54 left.Â
The Gorillas scored the next seven points to take a 54-50 lead with 2:40 left on Cathy Brugman's three-pointer. Quick hit two free throws off an offensive rebound wtih 1:57 left to cut the lead to two. Brigit Hesser hit a lay-up for the Gorillas with 1:32 left to push the lead to 56-52. Quick hit a jumper with 1:12 remaining to cut the lead to two and then scored with 30.8 left to tie the score at 56. Jeronimus lost the ball out of bounds with 4.1 seconds left and Barnwell could not get a jumper to fall at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
Lackey scored wtih 3:43 left in the extra frame to give Emporia State a lead they would not give up. Lackey hit one of two free throws with 15 seconds left to put the Lady Hornets up 63-61. Jeronimus and Kaylie Gafford both missed shots in the final five seconds and Moten was fouled on the rebound, leading to a technical on the Gorilla bench with :01.1 left. Lackey and Moten combined to hit two of four free throws for the final score of 65-61.
Quick was joined in double figures by Moten with 15 and Lackey with 14 points. Kathryn Flott had a game high eight rebounds while Quick, Moten, Bruner and Amber Vandiver all had seven boards.
The Lady Hornets will have a bye on Saturday before returning to action on Wednesday, January 21 at Northeastern State. Tip-off in Tahlequah, Okla. is set for 5:30 p.m.
NOTES
Merissa Quick moved into 15th on the Lady Hornets all-time scoring list and now has 1,327 points.
The Lady Hornets are now 2-0 all-time against teams ranked #2 in the nation and have a 6-5 record against teams ranked in the top two in the nation.
It was the second straight overtime game between the two teams.
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