Jefferson City, Mo. - Senior guard Chelsey Henry poured in a career-high 35 points to lead the Missouri Southern women's basketball team to an 81-78-over-time victory over the Lincoln Blue Tigers inside Jason Gym Saturday afternoon.
The Lions (10-4, 2-2 MIAA) battled its way back behind Henry's team-high seven rebounds and guard Destiny Cozart's 15 points, including two 3-pointers, one to put the Lions in front by three heading into the fourth and another to force overtime at 69-69 with 12 seconds left in regulation.
Chasidee Owens, Laure Assena, and Layne Skiles each added eight points apiece in the win.
The Blue Tigers (9-4, 1-3 MIAA) jumped out to their largest lead of ten off a 14-4 run to begin the game, but could not prevent the Lions from keeping up with them throughout all 45 minutes of play.
Four players finished in double-figures for Lincoln in Zoi Thompson (27), Tempary Gunter (18), Zhanesha Dickerson (32), and Bre Coleman who recorded a double-double (11 and 14).
The two teams traded buckets down the stretch to a 27-27 tie with under three minutes left in the half. No team could pull the trigger until Gunter delivered a 3-pointer
as time expired to give the Blue Tigers a three-point advantage going into halftime.
Throughout the third period, both teams traded basket for basket on their way to another tie at 52-52. This time, the Lions responded as Cozart swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key and took a 55-52 advantage into the final period of regulation.
Once again, the Lions found themselves needing a bucket down three and 24 seconds remaining in the game. Henry dribbled into the paint and passed the ball out to Cozart. Cozart pump faked twice to get a shot up from the far wing and swished her second 3-pointer on the day to tie the game at 69-69 and send Southern to its first overtime period of the season.
Southern scored the first two points of the overtime period and went up again by two after LU tied it up on free throws. Dickerson would knot it up at 77-77 on her second shot from the beyond the arc. On the following possession, Cozart found Skiles cutting down the lane towards the basket for the open layup and put the Lions in front by two with 46 seconds left in overtime.
Cozart connected on both free throws moments later to extend the lead to three (81-78), which allowed LU one more chance to force double-overtime. Dickerson heaved a last-second 3-pointer for the tie, but was unsuccessful as the Lions secured the rebound and its second MIAA victory of the season.
The Lions return back to the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center to do battle with the NCAA defending champions Central Missouri on Thursday, Jan. 10 at 5:30 pm.
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