The Pittsburg State women’s basketball squad had to overcome a double-digit deficit, injuries, a technical foul and foul trouble, and they had to do it against a rival in extra time.
But the Gorillas (11-11 overall, 9-6 MIAA) were able to fight through their issues and pull out a 106-102 double-overtime victory over the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (11-11, 7-8) Saturday afternoon.
“I don’t think there’s anything easy in this league, period,” said Pittsburg State coach Lane Lord. “Everybody’s trying to battle for positioning. It’s a big win for us. There’s just so much parity.”
The Gorillas led 12-11 before the Bearcats went on a 13-2 run to take a double-digit lead at 24-14. After the Gorillas cut the lead to four at 27-23, the Bearcats fought to earn their biggest lead of the game at 40-29. But Pittsburg State closed sharply, scoring the game’s next eight points and going into halftime trailing by just three at 42-39.
The Gorillas tied the game at 49 early in the second half, though the Bearcats were able to gain the lead back and keep it through much of the half.
The Bearcats led 63-60 when Larissa Richards, positioning for an offensive rebound, was sandwiched between two defenders and fell to the floor, injured. When Northwest Missouri grabbed the rebound, Lord ran out to the middle of the floor, asking that play be stopped for her injury. Play continued, and, with the advantage, the Bearcats found Gentry Dietz for a layup.
Play then stopped for the injury, and, enraged by the non-stoppage of time, Lord took off his shirt — he was wearing another shirt underneath — and threw it across the floor. The officials then hit Lord with a technical. After a pair of Abby Henry free throws, the Bearcats led 67-60.
“It didn’t have anything to do with the referees,” Lord said. “I was mad that the poor girl has torn two ACLs (at Pitt State). She had scored close to 20 points at that point, and I know her family. I was more mad about the situation, and I was upset because she was hurt.”
But Pittsburg State guard Maya Onikute saw things a little bit differently.
“He took a second to think about it,” Onikute said. “He was yelling at the ref. He didn’t get a technical. He went on the court. He didn’t get a technical. So he thought of something really quick. I knew that he was going to do something outrageous. He would have kicked, punched or done something to get the tech.”
The Gorillas clawed back, pulling to within three with 4:49 left on an Onikute three-pointer. Another Onikute three-pointer, this one with 1:50 left, pulled the Gorillas to within one at 85-84. And with 45 seconds, the Gorillas closed the rest of the distance with a Lauren Brown three-point play that tied the game at 87.
“He doesn’t get techs,” said Pittsburg State guard DePrice Taylor. “Last year, he got one when somebody got hurt. It was the same situation.
“He usually does it to fire us up,” Taylor said. “But we were already fired up that one of our teammates went down.”
The Bearcats had a decent look on their possession with a floater from Henry, who had 27 points at the time. But the shot rimmed out and the Nicole McCombs grabbed the rebound, giving Pittsburg State a chance to win.
Laura Glenn missed a three-pointer, but the Gorillas grabbed the rebound near the basket. They didn’t get a chance for a put-back — a whistle sounded prematurely, meaning the Gorillas had the ball underneath the basket with 2.5 seconds left. The ensuing inbounds pass was tipped and batted around until the buzzer sounded, forcing overtime.
The Gorillas again had the final chance in overtime, but a Taylor shot clipped the side of the backboard and the two teams went to the second overtime tied at 94.
The second overtime didn’t come down to the final shot. After a pair of Henry free throws pulled the Bearcats to within two at 104-102, Laura Glenn grabbed a rebound, was fouled and made both free throws. Henry missed her final shot as well, with Onikute grabbing the rebound to seal the game.
McCombs led the Gorillas with 25 points and 13 rebounds (11 offensive), while Taylor had 24 and seven, including several huge shots down the stretch. Richards scored 19 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had three blocks before leaving with an injury. Glenn had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
“I’m extremely tired,” said McCombs, who was fighting illness. “Regulation was more than enough. But I knew my team was fighting, so I couldn’t let them down.”
“We’ve been kind of waiting for our seniors to step up,” Lord said. “DePrice, Nicole and Maya did tonight.”
Henry had 33 points, seven rebounds and nine assists for the Bearcats. Dietz had 18 and 11, while Shelly Martin scored 16.
The Gorillas will travel to play at Southern on Wednesday. But Onikute said Saturday's victory should send a message to the Lions, who she said weren't Pittsburg State's real rivals.
“Missouri Southern cannot compete with us,” Onikute said. “Player wise, they can’t compare. Defense wise, they can’t compare. We are Pitt State, and we will take them. We are here to take the win.”
Lord said it would be a hard-fought game, and added that the Gorillas wouldn’t likely hit 106 points if they played the Lions twice.
“We know it’s going to be a battle,” Lord said. “It isn’t who plays, but it comes down to grit and guts and toughness.”
Pittsburg State women 106, Northwest Missouri State 102 (2OT)
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE (102) — Abby Henry 10-29 12-12 33, Gentry Dietz 8-17 2-2 18, Shelly Martin 5-11 4-4 16, Gabby Curtis 4-12 0-0 11, Emily Hauder 4-12 2-2 10, Monai Douglass 1-3 3-3 5, Alexis Boeh 2-8 0-0 4, Candace Boeh 1-2 1-2 3, Ashley Thayer 0-0 2-4 2. Totals: 35-94 26-31 102.
PITTSBURG STATE (106) — Nicole McCombs 6-15 13-16 25, DePrice Taylor 9-20 6-9 24, Larissa Richards 8-12 3-3 19, Laura Glenn 1-9 10-11 12, Maya Onikute 3-14 1-4 9, Drew Roberts 3-7 0-0 8, Courtney Tate 2-5 0-0 4, Bailey Waugh 1-3 1-2 3, Whitney Conerly 0-2 2-3 2, Amanda Orloske 0-6 0-0 0. Totals: 33-93 36-48 106.
Halftime — NWMSU 42, PSU 39. 3-point goals — NWMSU (Curtis 3-5, Martin 2-5, Henry 1-3, Dietz 0-1), PSU (Roberts 2-4, Onikute 2-8, Taylor 0-1, Tate 0-1, Waugh 0-2, Glenn 0-2, Orloske 0-6). Rebounds — NWMSU 55 (Dietz 11), PSU 71 (McCombs 13). Assists — NWMSU 21 (Henry 8), PSU 11 (Taylor, Tate 3). Turnovers — NWMSU 17, PSU 21. Steals — NWMSU 8, PSU 4. Personal fouls — NWMSU 33, PSU 24. Fouled out — NWMSU Curtis, Douglass. Technical fouls — PSU bench.
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The Pittsburg State women’s basketball squad had to overcome a double-digit deficit, injuries, a technical foul and foul trouble, and they had to do it against a rival in extra time.
But the Gorillas (11-11 overall, 9-6 MIAA) were able to fight through their issues and pull out a 106-102 double-overtime victory over the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (11-11, 7-8) Saturday afternoon.
“I don’t think there’s anything easy in this league, period,” said Pittsburg State coach Lane Lord. “Everybody’s trying to battle for positioning. It’s a big win for us. There’s just so much parity.”
The Gorillas led 12-11 before the Bearcats went on a 13-2 run to take a double-digit lead at 24-14. After the Gorillas cut the lead to four at 27-23, the Bearcats fought to earn their biggest lead of the game at 40-29. But Pittsburg State closed sharply, scoring the game’s next eight points and going into halftime trailing by just three at 42-39.
The Gorillas tied the game at 49 early in the second half, though the Bearcats were able to gain the lead back and keep it through much of the half.
The Bearcats led 63-60 when Larissa Richards, positioning for an offensive rebound, was sandwiched between two defenders and fell to the floor, injured. When Northwest Missouri grabbed the rebound, Lord ran out to the middle of the floor, asking that play be stopped for her injury. Play continued, and, with the advantage, the Bearcats found Gentry Dietz for a layup.
Play then stopped for the injury, and, enraged by the non-stoppage of time, Lord took off his shirt — he was wearing another shirt underneath — and threw it across the floor. The officials then hit Lord with a technical. After a pair of Abby Henry free throws, the Bearcats led 67-60.
“It didn’t have anything to do with the referees,” Lord said. “I was mad that the poor girl has torn two ACLs (at Pitt State). She had scored close to 20 points at that point, and I know her family. I was more mad about the situation, and I was upset because she was hurt.”
But Pittsburg State guard Maya Onikute saw things a little bit differently.
“He took a second to think about it,” Onikute said. “He was yelling at the ref. He didn’t get a technical. He went on the court. He didn’t get a technical. So he thought of something really quick. I knew that he was going to do something outrageous. He would have kicked, punched or done something to get the tech.”
The Gorillas clawed back, pulling to within three with 4:49 left on an Onikute three-pointer. Another Onikute three-pointer, this one with 1:50 left, pulled the Gorillas to within one at 85-84. And with 45 seconds, the Gorillas closed the rest of the distance with a Lauren Brown three-point play that tied the game at 87.
“He doesn’t get techs,” said Pittsburg State guard DePrice Taylor. “Last year, he got one when somebody got hurt. It was the same situation.
“He usually does it to fire us up,” Taylor said. “But we were already fired up that one of our teammates went down.”
The Bearcats had a decent look on their possession with a floater from Henry, who had 27 points at the time. But the shot rimmed out and the Nicole McCombs grabbed the rebound, giving Pittsburg State a chance to win.
Laura Glenn missed a three-pointer, but the Gorillas grabbed the rebound near the basket. They didn’t get a chance for a put-back — a whistle sounded prematurely, meaning the Gorillas had the ball underneath the basket with 2.5 seconds left. The ensuing inbounds pass was tipped and batted around until the buzzer sounded, forcing overtime.
The Gorillas again had the final chance in overtime, but a Taylor shot clipped the side of the backboard and the two teams went to the second overtime tied at 94.
The second overtime didn’t come down to the final shot. After a pair of Henry free throws pulled the Bearcats to within two at 104-102, Laura Glenn grabbed a rebound, was fouled and made both free throws. Henry missed her final shot as well, with Onikute grabbing the rebound to seal the game.
McCombs led the Gorillas with 25 points and 13 rebounds (11 offensive), while Taylor had 24 and seven, including several huge shots down the stretch. Richards scored 19 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had three blocks before leaving with an injury. Glenn had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
“I’m extremely tired,” said McCombs, who was fighting illness. “Regulation was more than enough. But I knew my team was fighting, so I couldn’t let them down.”
“We’ve been kind of waiting for our seniors to step up,” Lord said. “DePrice, Nicole and Maya did tonight.”
Henry had 33 points, seven rebounds and nine assists for the Bearcats. Dietz had 18 and 11, while Shelly Martin scored 16.
The Gorillas will travel to play at Southern on Wednesday. But Onikute said Saturday's victory should send a message to the Lions, who she said weren't Pittsburg State's real rivals.
“Missouri Southern cannot compete with us,” Onikute said. “Player wise, they can’t compare. Defense wise, they can’t compare. We are Pitt State, and we will take them. We are here to take the win.”
Lord said it would be a hard-fought game, and added that the Gorillas wouldn’t likely hit 106 points if they played the Lions twice.
“We know it’s going to be a battle,” Lord said. “It isn’t who plays, but it comes down to grit and guts and toughness.”
Pittsburg State women 106, Northwest Missouri State 102 (2OT)
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE (102) — Abby Henry 10-29 12-12 33, Gentry Dietz 8-17 2-2 18, Shelly Martin 5-11 4-4 16, Gabby Curtis 4-12 0-0 11, Emily Hauder 4-12 2-2 10, Monai Douglass 1-3 3-3 5, Alexis Boeh 2-8 0-0 4, Candace Boeh 1-2 1-2 3, Ashley Thayer 0-0 2-4 2. Totals: 35-94 26-31 102.
PITTSBURG STATE (106) — Nicole McCombs 6-15 13-16 25, DePrice Taylor 9-20 6-9 24, Larissa Richards 8-12 3-3 19, Laura Glenn 1-9 10-11 12, Maya Onikute 3-14 1-4 9, Drew Roberts 3-7 0-0 8, Courtney Tate 2-5 0-0 4, Bailey Waugh 1-3 1-2 3, Whitney Conerly 0-2 2-3 2, Amanda Orloske 0-6 0-0 0. Totals: 33-93 36-48 106.
Halftime — NWMSU 42, PSU 39. 3-point goals — NWMSU (Curtis 3-5, Martin 2-5, Henry 1-3, Dietz 0-1), PSU (Roberts 2-4, Onikute 2-8, Taylor 0-1, Tate 0-1, Waugh 0-2, Glenn 0-2, Orloske 0-6). Rebounds — NWMSU 55 (Dietz 11), PSU 71 (McCombs 13). Assists — NWMSU 21 (Henry 8), PSU 11 (Taylor, Tate 3). Turnovers — NWMSU 17, PSU 21. Steals — NWMSU 8, PSU 4. Personal fouls — NWMSU 33, PSU 24. Fouled out — NWMSU Curtis, Douglass. Technical fouls — PSU bench.
