INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Missouri S&T's women's basketball team stormed back over the final 12-plus minutes Thursday night, overcoming a 13-point deficit to upend Indianapolis 72-67 in a Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Nicoson Hall.
The Miners trailed 55-42 with 2:41 left in the third quarter and were still down by 10 when the fourth period began, but shot 64.7 percent in the fourth quarter while holding the Greyhounds to a three-of-15 mark during that same span in outscoring UIndy 27-12 in the final period to improve to 9-6 overall and 5-2 in the GLVC.
Missouri S&T held the Greyhounds (7-8, 3-4 GLVC) without a field goal over the final six minutes and outscored them 17-5 over that span, with three of them coming at the free throw line in the final 10 seconds. The stretch began after Idalis Ortiz hit a three-point basket with exactly six minutes to go to give the Greyhounds a 62-53 lead.
Alex Kerr (St. Louis, MO/St. Joseph's Academy) – who scored 14 of her game-high 23 points in the second half – knocked down a short jumper, which was then followed by a steal by
Laura Rodriguez (Gran Canaria, Spain/Baloncesto Torrelodones) and a three-pointer by
Addyson Kent (North Vernon, IN/Jennings County) that trimmed the margin to four. Kerr scored again on the Miners' next trip down the floor, then scored again to make it a two-point game moments after Sadie Hill had made two free throws.
Following the Kerr basket at the 4:17 mark, Rodriguez made another steal and then hit a three-pointer from the top of the key that bounced high off the rim and fell through to give S&T its first lead since the early minutes of the contest.
After gaining the advantage, the Miners continued to get stops on the defensive end and added on to their lead, getting baskets from Rodriguez and Kerr to push the lead to five over the next two minutes.
UIndy held the lead for nearly 34 minutes of the contest, holding a five-point advantage after the first period as it shot 58.8 percent from the floor during that span and leading by seven at the intermission. The Greyhounds took their first double figure lead of the contest with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, then sandwiched three-pointers by Jodi Mullins and Caroline Jakaitis around a three-pointer by Kent that gave them their 13-point advantage late in the third period.
Kerr recorded her ninth double-double of the season and 29
th of her career as she hauled down 13 rebounds to go with her 23 points, while also blocking three shots along the way. Keys added 13 points for the Miners, while
Michaela Davis (Keokuk, Iowa/Keokuk) and Kent – playing before several family members and friends near her hometown of North Vernon, Ind. – had 10 apiece.
S&T finished the game by shooting 43.3 percent from the field and outrebounded the Greyhounds by a 46-26 margin. Davis and Rodriguez recorded five assists apiece in the victory.
Hill had 15 points and Mullins had 14 to lead Uindy, who finished the night with a 42.6 percent shooting mark.
Missouri S&T will face Lewis Saturday in a 1 p.m. GLVC contest in Romeoville, Ill.
