Northwestern State def. Austin Peay, 86-84 (OT)
NASHVILLE – Junior Ashley Herring hit a game-tying three-point field goal to send the game into overtime but Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team could not hold onto a six-point overtime lead and fell to Northwestern State, 86-84, in Saturday’s consolation game of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament at Memorial Gymnasium.
Austin Peay (1-5) scored eight of the first 10 points in the extra period and led, 82-76, with 2:08 left. But right after building that lead, Herring fouled out with 1:53 remaining as Northwestern State converted a traditional three-point play to cut the lead in half. Senior Nicole Jamen would hit a jumper to push the lead back to five points with 1:18 to go, but it would be the last field goal Austin Peay would hit.
Northwestern State (2-4) scored the game’s final seven points, but did not grab the lead until Brittany Houston was fouled on her driving layup and converted another three-point play with 18 seconds remaining. On the ensuing – and final – possession, Austin Peay saw a 15-foot jumper fall short and a put-back try under the rim go begging as the final horn sounded.
The Lady Govs needed late theatrics in the second half just to force the extra time. Entering the second frame with the score level at 36-36, Austin Peay made the period’s first field goal and held the lead for the first three minutes of the second frame. However, Northwestern State put together a 13-2 scoring burst to take a 55-44 lead with 13:07 remaining. Freshman Neika Smith would respond with a field goal followed by a Herring three-point field goal to print the deficit back into single digits.
That Demons lead would grow no larger than nine points but would not fall below four points over the next eight minutes. It took Austin Peay piecing together a 13-4 half-closing run that began with five minute remaining to finally dent the lead. Four different Austin Peay players scored during the burst, but it was Herring’s three-point basket with 22 seconds remaining that tied the game, 74-74, to provide five additional minutes.
Herring led Austin Peay with her second-consecutive 21-point outing, making 7-of-12 from the field, including 5-of-9 from three-point range. Jamen finished with an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double and sophomore Jasmine Rayner added an 18-point, 17-rebound double-double performance.
Austin Peay won the rebounding battle with an impressive 52-36 margin, including 26 offensive rebounds.
Houston led Northwestern State with 27 points while Jessica McPhail added 21 points. The Lady Demons won the game at the free-throw line where they made 22-of-28 (78.6 percent) while the Lady Govs shot a season-low 52 percent (13-of-25).
Austin Peay returns to action when it opens Ohio Valley Conference play with a 5:15 p.m., Thursday contest against Southeast Missouri.
Box Score
Box Score available online at the following link:
http://www.letsgopeay.com/fls/16900/stats0910/wbb/apsuw06.htm
