March 14, 2015-Merissa Quick had 23 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks as the #9 Lady Hornets defeated #16 Pittsburg State 65-54 in overtime on Saturday to advance to the NCAA Central Regional Championship game. It is the fourth straight year in the regional final for Emporia State.
The Gorillas jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the game and led 23-17 with 7:46 left in the half. The Lady Hornets then went on an 8-0 run, with Quick scoring six of the points, to take a 25-23 lead with 2:41 left in the period. Hailey Roderique hit a layup with 56 seconds left that sent the teams to the locker rooms knotted at 25.
The teams traded scores until Kelsey Barnwell hit a three to follow a Kathryn Flott lay up to give the Lady Hornets a 35-30 lead with 16:18 left and force a Gorilla timeout.
Back to back three-pointers by Lizzy Jeronimus gave Pitt State a 42-40 lead with 10:18 left in the game. Quick answered with a jumper to retie the game with 9:50 left. A Jeronimus layup with 4:27 left gave the Gorillas a 50-46 lead. It would be the last score of regulation for Pittsburg State. Quick cut the lead to 50-48 with 3:32 left. Barnwell was fouled on a rebounds with 47.0 seconds left and hit both free throws to tie the score. Both teams turned the ball over in the final 20 seconds as the two rivals went to overtime for the third time in their last five meetings.
Quick scored first in the extra frame on a layup with 4:12 left. Roderique hit two free throws to tie the game with 3:59 left. Kelly Moten then raced down court and scored to put the Lady Hornets back on top. Kylie Gafford hit two free throws with 3:27 left to forge another tie at 54-54, but it would be the last points of the game for the Gorillas. Barnwell found Quick inside with 3:04 left and she made the bucket and was fouled by Jeronimus. The senior made the and-one to give Emporia State a 57-54 lead. The Lady Hornets then hit eight of eight free throws in the final 2:25 to ice the win.
Quick was joined in double figures by Barnwell with 15 points and Flott with 14 points and nine rebounds. Moten joined Quick in double figures in rebounding with ten boards to go with her seven points.
With the win Emporia State advances to their fourth straight regional championship game and the 12th in school history. They will play the winner of Saturday's late game between Ft. Hays State and Wayne State on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. in Gross Memorial Coliseum.
NOTES
This was the first overtime game for Emporia State in NCAA Tournament play since a 97-94 OT win against then #1 Gannon in the 2010 National Semifinals. The Lady Hornets are now 5-0 in NCAA Tournament games and all five games were against teams ranked in the top 25.
The Lady Hornets are now 34-15 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
The Lady Hornets are now 69-44 overall against teams ranked in the top 25.
Quick now has 1,522 points and passed Pam Bulson (1,500 pts from 1976-80) and Nicole Patry (1,504 pts from 2001-05) to sit alone in seventh place on the Lady Hornets career scoring list.
Quick now has 899 rebounds and passed Judy Becker (891 reb from 1977-81) and Alli Volkens (894 reb from 2007-11) to sit alone in fourth place on the Lady Hornets career rebounding list.
Addie Lackey had four assists to give her 96 for the season and pass Cassondra Boston for second on the Lady Hornets freshman single season assist list.
