January 25, 2017-For the first time in over two years the #7 Lady Hornets lost a game they led at the five minute mark in a 61-56 overtime loss at #19 Central Missouri. Emporia State led 52-48 with 1:37 left in regulation before the Jennies scored the final four points of regulation and outscored the Lady Hornets 9-4 in overtime.
Scoring was slow going in the beginning with Central Missouri taking a 7-2 lead at the midway point of the first quarter. Emporia State would outscore the Jennies 12-6 the rest of the period to take a 14-13 lead after one quarter.
The teams combined for just nine points through the first eight minutes of the second quarter as Emporia State led 19-17. The Lady Hornets then went on a 5-1 run to take a 24-18 lead with 1:15 left on Kelly Moten's old fashioned three-point play. Sydney Skaggs got a tip in at the buzzer to pull the Jennies within four at the break.
The Lady Hornets never trailed in the third quarter and used a 9-2 run to take a 42-33 lead with 2:37 left in the period on a three-pointer from Moten. Paige Redmond would score for Central Missouri with 2:25 left in the quarter to pull the Jennies within seven put that would be the final points of the period.
Jacee Kramer hit a three-pointer to open the fourth quarter and give the Lady Hornets a ten point lead with 9:40 remaining. Emporia State had a six point lead on Addie Lackey's layup with 5:37 left in the game. The Jennies then went on a 7-0 run with a Sydney Crockett three-pointer in the middle of four free throws as Central Missouri took a 48-47 lead with 3:07 left. Kathryn Flott scored inside to give the Lady Hornets a 49-48 lead with 2:53 left and Lackey hit a three-pointer to give Emporia State a 52-48 lead with 1:37 remaining.
Redmond pulled the Jennies within tw with 1:21 left and then tied the score on a layup with 39.8 seconds remaining. Lackey missed a jumper with 20 seconds left UCM got the rebound with a chance to win in regulation. Moten blocked a layup attempt by Redmond with 1.1 seconds left and came down with the rebound out of bounds. Kayonna Lee got another shot off from the inbounds pass but Kyrstie Miller blocked it to send the game to overtime.
UCM struck first in the extra frame on a three-pointer from Crockett with 3:31 left. Flott scored inside and was fouled with 3:03 remaining and she completed the old fashioned three-point play to tie the game at 55. Crockett then hit a three pointer from corner, was fouled and completed the four point play to give UCM a two possession lead with 2:57 remaining. Lackey hit one of two free throws to pull Emporia State within 59-56 with 2:45 left but that would be the final score for the Lady Hornets. Crockett, who was the only Jennie to score in the overtime, hit two free throws with 4.3 seconds left to ice the victory.
Moten led Emporia State with 24 points, ten rebounds, five blocks, two assists and two steals. Flott also had a double-double with ten points and 11 rebounds but they were the only Lady Hornets in double figures.
The Lady Hornets are back in action on Saturday, January 28 when they travel to Southwest Baptist. Tip-off from the Meyer Center in Bolivar, Mo. is set for 1:30 p.m.
NOTES
It is the first time in 59 games the Lady Hornets have led at the five minute mark and lost. The last time was a 62-61 loss at Central Missouri on January 10, 2015.
This was the third straight loss in the UCM Multipurpose Building for the Lady Hornets.
Kathryn Flott passed Esmary Vargas-Sanchez (751 from 202-05) and is now tenth on the Lady Hornet all-time rebound list with 753 boards.
Kelly Moten passed Denisa Svarova (92 from 2005-07) and is now ninth on the Lady Hornet all-time blocked shots list with 93 blocks.
