 |
| Tamara McCaskill |
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Lynn University made the most of its second chances Friday night and sent the Lady Miners to their first loss of the season, handing UMR an 81-78 overtime loss in the Premier Mortgage/WIBW Holiday Classic at Washburn University.
UMR had a 68-65 lead late in regulation time, but Lynn’s Sarah Mahan – who had just missed a three-point attempt to tie the game – got a second chance when the rebound was batted out to her and connected on another long-range shot at the buzzer to force overtime.
UMR had two leads in the extra period, the last at 73-72 on a basket by Katie Bunge with 2:36 to play. However, the Knights (3-0) regained the lead for good when Mahan hit two free throws on Lynn’s next possession, then UMR had a turnover on its next trip down the floor that led to a fast break basket by Jade Williams to give Lynn a three-point lead.
The Lady Miners closed to within one when Bunge scored the next time down the floor, but after getting a stop on defense, Chism McEntire missed the mark on a foul line jumper that would have put UMR ahead.
Williams followed by hitting a 15-footer with just under 30 seconds to go to give Lynn a three-point lead, then UMR committed another turnover before it could get a shot off. Williams made two more free throws to make the lead five before Nicole Dierking hit a three-pointer with 5.1 seconds left to cut the margin to two. However, Williams made one of two at the line to wrap up the win for Lynn.
UMR trailed for a good portion of the first half, but scored the final seven points of the first half to build a 42-38 lead at the intermission. Katie McElrath’s basket in the lane with just under a minute to go in the half gave UMR the lead, then the Lady Miners were able to build the advantage to as many as 10 at 55-45 with 12:53 left in the second half on a basket by Becca Kueny.
Despite shooting just over 30 percent in the second half, Lynn was able to rally by forcing UMR into a number of turnovers and outscored UMR 17-6 over the next 8:19 to take the lead, going in front 62-61 on a three-pointer by Allegra Armstrong.
The Lady Miners got the lead back on a lay-in by Nicole Dierking with 3:25 left, then went back ahead 66-64 on another basket by Dierking at the 1:23 mark. Lynn’s Lisa Sykora made one of two at the line with 37 seconds left to cut the lead to one, then UMR’s Jaime Forsberg increased the lead to three with two free throws with 15 seconds left prior to Mahan’s last-second heroics.
Tamara McCaskill finished with a career-high 23 points for the Lady Miners and added a career-best 11 rebounds as well. UMR also got 20 points from Dierking and 15 from Bunge in a game where it shot 52.5 percent from the field.
The Lady Miners, however, turned the ball over 27 times in the game and Lynn scored 35 points off those mistakes. The Knights also scored 23 second chance points in the game.
UMR (2-1) will face Cameron in its second game in the event Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Leave a comment