FAYETTE, Iowa –
Eryn Puett (Columbia, MO/Rock Bridge) had a huge second half to lead the Miners to a 66-64 victory over the Peacocks. Puett's second half consisted of 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. She ended the game with a personal best of 21 points and had the game-sealing defense against UIU's final shot as well.
Franchesca Metz (Downers Grove, IL/Nazareth Academy) had a great game too, tying her season scoring high of 14 points and grabbing four rebounds.
1st Quarter:
After exchanging turnovers and missed shots in the first couple of minutes,
Addyson Kent (North Vernon, IN/Jennings County) knocked down a three just inside of two minutes into the game. Kent went on to force a turnover on the next possession and would hit a second three on the possession following the steal to put the Miners up 6-0 in the first two and a half minutes. A layup from Metz and a successful "and one" layup by Puett pushed the Miners' lead to 11-0 halfway into the quarter. The Peacocks finally found their first points of the game at 4:51, but a pair of driving layups by
Morgan Luebbering (Jefferson Ciy, MO/Fatima) helped the Miners extend their lead to 15-2 as the teams went into the first media timeout of the game. The Upper Iowa shooters found their shot coming out of the stoppage, successfully hitting a couple of threes as they went on a 10-3 run to close out the first and make it 18-12.
2nd Quarter:
The Miners did a good job of defending at the start of the second, holding the Peacocks scoreless for the first three minutes as they pulled ahead 23-12. Upper Iowa found some success in the paint in the next minute and a half, going on a 9-0 run to make it a one possession game.
Katelynne Roberts (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) responded with a couple of layups, her first points of the game, bringing the score to 27-21. A few minutes later, the Peacocks would capitalize on a pair of turnovers, turning them into points and tying the game at 29-29. The Miners went scoreless in the final 3:44 of the quarter, allowing UIU to take their first lead of the game and enter the half up 33-29 on the Miners.
3rd Quarter:
Both teams adjusted coming into the third quarter, resulting in a lot of scoring in the opening two and a half minutes. A six-point run by the Miners tied the game at 39-39 halfway through the third. S&T would extend their 6-0 run to a 13-2 run as they took their first lead of the half. Scoring slowed for the Miners in the ensuing minutes, with a pair of turnovers in the final minute costing them the lead. A driving layup by Metz would tie the game at 50-50 as the clock ran out in the third.
4th Quarter:
After Metz salvaged a risky pass and laid it in for two, the Miners took a lead. That lead would be short-lived though, as the Peacocks would knock down a three and then get a layup off a steal not long after. The Miners would reclaim the lead with a five-point run and go up 59-55. Upper Iowa then put together a 5-0 run of their own to take a one-point lead with less than five minutes left in the game. A few possessions later Roberts drew a foul inside from UIU's Brooke Evenson. Roberts hit her free throws, putting the Miners up by one. S&T would hold the lead in the next couple of minutes, leading by as much as three before UIU hit a layup with eight seconds left, reducing the Miners lead to a single point, 65-64. With little time to work with, the Peacocks sent Roberts to the line for a pair of free throws with four seconds left. Roberts split the pair, giving the Miners a 66-64 lead. S&T just needed one stop at the other end to pull off the road win. Off the inbound, UIU's Katie Tornstrom had a brief look at a three for the win, but Puett stepped in front to force the miss and give the Miners the win.
The Miners remain on the road this weekend, as they travel to Kirksville, Missouri to play Truman State at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
