Feb. 26, 2011

Box Score

Box Score in PDF Format

ROLLA, Mo. - Lewis women's basketball never held a lead during regulation of their 79-74 overtime victory at Missouri S&T on Saturday evening in the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. Senior Kelly Monaco (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) drained a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left in regulation to tie the game.

Following a first half in which the Flyers trailed by as many as 11 points, Lewis tied the game for the first time at 33 with 17:20 remaining in the second half on a 3-pointer by sophomore Sam Rinehart (Marion, Iowa/Marion). Five minutes later Missouri S&T was up seven points again, only to see Lewis knot the score at 46 with 8:34 left on a 3-pointer by senior Kady Currin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton). A pair of Currin free throws tied it once again at 52 with 5:43 remaining. Then the Lady Miners went on what seemed to be a game clinching run, scoring the next nine points and putting Lewis in a 61-52 hole with less than three minutes remaining. However, as they did all night, back the Flyers came.

A pair of free throws by senior Lory Shaw (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township/UW-Green Bay) cut the lead to seven. A Missouri S&T turnover followed by a Currin 3-pointer cut the deficit to 61-57 with 2:30 remaining. The lead sat there until Missouri S&T's Toni Knar made one free throw to make the score 62-57 with 1:03 remaining.

Then things got interesting. Following a Currin missed 3-pointer, Missouri S&T's Julie Meyer went to the line with 51 seconds left. She missed the first of a 1-and-1 and back came the Flyers with a layup by Shaw on the other end with 42 seconds left. Lewis asked for time after the basket, and 10 seconds into Missouri S&T's possession Shaw forced a turnover. Lewis went the other way and with 20 seconds remaining in the game Monaco drained a 3-pointer on a feed from Currin to tie the score at 62.

"Kelly was the right person shooting the ball at the right time," head coach Lisa Carlsen said.

Missouri S&T failed to get a shot off in the final 20 seconds and the game headed to overtime.

Lewis took their first lead of the game four seconds into overtime on a layup by sophomore Labrenthia Murdock (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake). Missouri S&T followed with a quick basket to tie it at 64. It would be Missouri S&T's final points until less than a minute remained. Lewis took over the contest with an 8-0 run over the next three minutes. Monaco started it with a 3-pointer in front of the Lewis bench, on an assist by Turpel. Turpel then made it a 69-64 game on a layup after an offensive rebound by Shaw. A Turpel free throw and a pair of Murdock free throws made it a 72-64 game with less than a minute left. From there it was a free throw shooting contest and the Flyers made 7-of-8 over the final 54 seconds.

While Monaco had the key shot in regulation, it was Murdock keeping the Flyers in it early with 10 points in the first half. Murdock finished with a career-high 23 points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks. She came on again in the overtime period, scoring seven points in the extra session.

"Labrenthia has the make of a big time player and when she got rolling there was no stopping her going to the basket," Carlsen said. "She took it upon herself to force the issue."

Currin added a season-high 19 points. Shaw totaled 14 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Monaco totaled 10 points.

"We never gave up and we never let our frustration affect our intensity level," Carlsen said. "We have some seniors that aren't ready to hang it up yet."

Lewis made 19-of-25 free throws while Missouri S&T connected on 6-of-12.

Missouri S&T, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, sees their record fall to 20-7. Lewis, the No. 9 seed, improves to 12-15. The Flyers face a familiar foe in the second round with three seeded Drury. The Panthers ended Lewis' season last year in the GLVC Tournament Semifinals.

Tip-off of the second round game against Drury will be at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 4 on the campus of Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo.

Notes: It's the second consecutive season Lewis has defeated Missouri S&T in the GLVC Tournament ... Lewis is now 3-0 all-time at Missouri S&T ... Lewis has now won a game in three consecutive GLVC Tournaments ... it was Lewis' first overtime game since March 7, 2009 against Northern Kentucky, also in the GLVC Tournament.