Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Senior guard Chelsea Mason recorded a double double and the top-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team sunk nine three pointers to rally past Nebraska-Kearney in overtime, 82-75, Saturday afternoon in Kansas.
The Tigers improve to 9-0 (3-0) and are now 5-0 in games decided by eight points or less. The Lopers, meanwhile, fall to 5-5 (1-3).
Against one of the nation's top defensive units, UNK shot 48% (28 of 58) from the field and had a plus 12 rebounding margin, 44-32. However, Hays made five more threes, grabbed some late offensive boards and scored 13 points off of 20 Loper turnovers.
In a game with 15 ties and 18 lead changes, Kearney moved ahead 65-64 with 1:10 remaining in regulation thanks to a driving layup by Grand Island sophomore
McKenzie Brown.
A wild final 70 seconds featured two Loper turnovers, a Tiger turnover, four missed Hays field goals and UNK going 1 of 2 at the line. Mason rebounded her missed shots and was eventually fouled with three seconds to go. She sank two free throws to tie the game at 66.
After advancing the ball to mid-court, UNK had a chance to win but a driving layup by Kansas senior
Bri Starks went just past the rim.
Lincoln freshman post
Kennedy Sander scored the first points in overtime but the Tigers scored seven of the next nine to grab the lead for good. During this stretch, the Lopers went 1 of 3 at the line to finish 15 of 19 on the day.
Up three, 78-75, with 1:14 to go, Hays went 4 of 6 at the line to secure the win. The Tigers made 71% (5 of 7) of its overtime field goals after shooting below 40% in regulation.
A Bellevue native and transfer from Division I Kennesaw State (Ga.), Mason went 10 of 22 from the field (1 of 3 threes) to tally a game-high 24. Playing 26 minutes, the lefty also had 11 rebounds (nine defensive), three steals and two assists.
Four other Tigers were in double figures, including senior guard Paige Lunsford (13) and junior guard Jill Faxon (17). She was 3 of 5 from behind the arc, helping Hays go a solid 9 of 17 (53%). Coming into today, UNK had allowed only 32 threes (3.6 per game) all season.
Trenton senior guard
Laramey Becker continued her recent fine play, having her second double double (17 points & 11 rebounds) in the last three games. One of three Lopers playing 42 minutes, she needs five points next Saturday at Central Missouri to be the 24th player in school history with 1,000.
Off the bench, Sander had 16 points and four boards with Arizona junior point guard
Alexa Hogberg having nine assists, seven points and two rebounds. Finally, Brown grabbed six defensive caroms and went 4 of 4 at the line to tally 13.
The Lopers are at Central Missouri next Saturday afternoon.
