Notables
-A. Huber, Skog score career highs
-CSS led for over 35 minutes of action
-Largest lead by either team was eight points
-First multi-OT game for the Saints since 2002
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica women's basketball team went two overtimes with the University of Minnesota Morris on Saturday at the Reif Gymnasium, but would be on the short end of an 88-87 final as the Cougars made two free throws late to earn the win.
How It Happened
A three pointer by
Karli Skog (Crosslake, Minn./Pequot Lakes HS (Jamestown)) got the Saints on the board. Two made free throws by
Kaylee Kennedy (Littlefork, Minn./Littlefork-Big Falls HS) and a jumper by
Alison Huber (Ashland, Wis./Ashland HS (Hibbing CC)) gave the Saints an early 7-2 lead. The Cougars (14-9, 9-5 UMAC) would get the game within one point twice at 9-8 and 11-10, but St. Scholastica extended its lead to six points to finish the first quarter up 16-10.
CSS went up 22-14 in the second period, before a 9-3 Morris run made it a two-point game, 25-23. After a few traded buckets Morris got within one point before four straight Saints points closed out the half to hold a 31-26 lead for the Saints. CSS scored 16 points off of 14 Morris turnovers in the first half.
Morris came out of the break on a 7-0 run to gain a 33-31 lead over the Saints, its first lead of the game. The Saints responded with a 9-3 run of their own to regain a 40-36 lead. The Cougars took the blow and shot back with a 10-4 run to regain their lead at 46-44 before
Christina Furey (Lake Charles, La./Homeschooled) made a layup to tie the game up 46-46 heading into the fourth quarter.
A. Huber and Skog were the the stories of the fourth quarter with both combining for 19 of the team's 23 points. Huber's third three pointer of the quarter made it an eight-point game at 63-55 with 5:30 remaining. However, the Cougars quickly answered with a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to one. CSS led by four with less than a minute remaining, but the Cougars scored the final four points of regulation, including a game tying layup with six seconds left to send the game into overtime tied 69-69.
Overtime began with neither team garnering a lead larger than three points. Morris would hit a three to go up two with 17 seconds remaining in overtime.
Morgan Anderson (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS (UW-Superior)) would get to the free throw line and make both free throws forcing overtime number two tied 75-75.
Four straight points by the Cougars gave them a 79-75 lead 45 seconds into the period. St. Scholastica battled back with Kennedy and Skog scoring six points to tie the game at 83-83. Morris hit a three pointer to regain the lead 86-83 with 1:27 left in the period. Anderson would make a layup to cut the Saints deficit to one at 86-85. Kennedy then made a layup on the next possession to regain a one-point lead 87-86 with 13 seconds left. The Cougars drew a foul with seven seconds left and made both shots to go up 88-87. A last second shot would fall short for the Saints, falling 88-87.
Top Performers
Skog led all scorers with a career-high 23 points followed by A. Huber with a career-high 21 points. Kennedy followed behind with 20 points. Kennedy was 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
Morgan Anderson (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS (UW-Superior)) chipped in six points and led the team in rebounds with nine.
Up Next
The Saints (9-15, 7-8 UMAC) will welcome rival University of Northwestern (Minn.) to The Reif next Saturday for the regular season finale. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:45 p.m.
