Box Score

(Somers, Wis.) – The Missouri S&T Lady Miners definitely had its chances but were unable to put away Wisconsin-Parkside as it dropped an 80-77 heartbreaker in triple overtime on Thursday night. It was the first triple overtime game in school history.

The Lady Miners (14-4, 8-2 GLVC) struggled to shoot the basketball in regulation as they were only 16-for-52 (31 percent) and missed a lot of close in shots. S&T was even worse in the second half making only 24 percent (6-of-25) but were able to stay in the contest thanks in large part to its foul shooting making 18-of-20.

Wisconsin-Parkside (14-4, 8-2 GLVC) on the other hand was 23-for-51 (45 percent) in regulation but made only six trips to the foul line.

The Lady Miners led by as many as seven midway through the second half but were unable to put the Rangers away as they went on a 12-2 run over the next six minutes to build a 49-46 lead with less than four minutes to play.

Toni Knar (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) made it a one point game hitting two of three foul shots then Fareedah Washington (Forrest City, Ark./Forrest City) answered a basket by Kristen Ruchti with 1:39 to go to pull S&T within 51-50. Jadee Rooney put the Rangers up by four hitting her second trey of the night with 1:17 left.

That's when things started getting interesting. Julie Meyer (Marthasville, Mo./St. Francis Borgia) cut the lead in half with a pair of free throws just 0:11 later. After getting a stop on the defensive end, the Lady Miners had a chance to tie the game with 0:20 left but Meyer's shot was off the mark and Parkside corralled the rebound.

After a foul on Kemp, she stole the inbounds pass and made a layup to tie the game with 0:08 to go. The Rangers had a chance to win the game, but Rooney's off balance shot was off the mark sending the game into overtime.

S&T came out blazing in the first overtime scoring the first six points and held a 60-54 lead at the halfway point of the stanza. Brittany Hogen and Ruchti scored back-to-back baskets to make it a two-point ball game with 1:12 left.

Washington missed a layup with 0:47 left that would have given the Lady Miners back their four point lead.

After a timeout Brittany Beyer was fouled with 0:32 left and had a chance to tie the game. She made the first but missed the second as Hailee Parks (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan) came away with the rebound. The Rangers then chose to foul and sent Katelyn Heil (Dexter, Mo./Dexter) to the line for two shots. Heil missed them both and Parkside got the rebound and had a chance to win the game.

Rooney was fouled on her way to the basket with 0:04 left and made the first to tie the game but missed the second as Washington secured the rebound. She tried to get the ball up court to Kemp for a game winning shot but the pass went out of bounds with less than a second left. Rooney fired up a shot from the corner that was no good sending the game into a second overtime.

In the second overtime stanza exchanged baskets the first two trips down the floor and were still tied at 64 just over a minute in.

The Rangers took their first lead since late in regulation on an old fashioned three-point play by Ruchti with 3:12 to go. Washington brought the Lady Miners back within one on the ensuing possession but Ruchti extended the lead back to three on the ensuing trip.

Parks tied the game with less than two minutes to go converting an old fashioned three-point play of her own. Parkside didn't fold as Hogen put them back up a pair with 1:37 left but missed a free throw that would have made it a three-point advantage.

Meyer tied the game on S&T's last field goal of the night converting on a layup with 0:21 left.

The Rangers again had the chance to win the game but Amy Selk missed a jumper with 0:05 left and Washington grabbed the rebound to send it a third overtime.

The Lady Miners held a 73-72 lead early in the third extra period before Parkside ran off four straight. Knar tied the game with a pair of free throws with 2:32 to play then D'Naya Mims (Chicago, Ill./Harlan Community Academy) gave S&T a 77-76 lead by making 1-of-2 at the charity stripe.

Rooney put the Rangers ahead for good with a layup with 1:27 left. Knar had a chance to tie the game with a minute to go but was too strong on her layup attempt as it went off the back of the iron.

Rooney tried to put the game away with a three as the shot clock was winding down and air balled it giving S&T a chance at the win.

It wasn't meant to be though as Kemp turned it over with 0:17 left and Rooney hit both free throws to give Parkside the 80-77 advantage. The Lady Miners had one more chance to force a fourth overtime but Knar's three was off the mark and Washington lost the ball in the corner as time ran out.

Both teams shot the ball in the overtime periods as S&T was 8-for-16 (50 percent) while the Rangers were one field goal better at 53 percent (9-of-16).

Ruchti had 11 in the overtime periods to finish with a game-high 23 points. She was one of four players in double figures as Selk dropped in 19, Rooney added 15 and Beyer had 11.

Meyer led S&T with 19 and was one off her career-high. Washington had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Parks added 15 while Kemp dropped in 12.

The Lady Miners are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they take on Lewis University beginning at 1 p.m.