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Kansas City
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North Florida
?Roos Fall Just Short In Overtime Thriller
1/6/2015 5:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
(Jacksonville, Fla.) – The Missouri-Kansas City women's basketball team trailed North Florida by 12 with just over seven minutes left and by 10 with just over three minutes on the clock, before rallying back to score 17 points in the final three minutes to force overtime, where they fell just short, losing 63-62 at UNF Arena.
With 7.8 seconds remaining in overtime, Calli White split a pair of free throws to put the 'Roos ahead by one, but North Florida drove the length of the court, missed the layup but put back the offensive rebound to take a one point lead. White would have a desperation heave at the buzzer, but missed just right with the shot.
With the loss, UMKC falls to 2-13 on the year, while the Ospreys improve to 9-6 this season.
“I would have liked to have seen the team's effort and energy reflected on the scoreboard,” Head Coach Marsha Frese said. “They never quit. We got down a little and we put a press on and this team never thought the game was over. They did a tremendous job of trying to keep us alive. Sometimes the final shots are going to go your way and sometimes they aren't, but I'm proud of their fight and never say die attitude.”
White led the 'Roos offensive attack, finishing with 18 points with a trio of threes, six assists and five rebounds in 42 minutes of action, while Samantha Waldron added a career-high 14 points, that included three triples of her own, and played all 45 minutes of the contest, a new career-high.
“It was one of our best games effort wise, energy wise,” White said. “It goes to show you what the outcome can be when you have energy. It started in warmups, getting focused and locked in and carried over into the first half when we came out with that energy. The second half wasn't too hot, but we got it together and started the comeback. It was a great team effort, we just came up on the wrong side of the score.”
The 'Roos comeback officially began with 2:56 remaining when Waldron knocked down a pair of free throws then followed it up with a steal on the defensive end before finding Grace Mitchell on the break for a layup that cut the lead to six.
After a turnover at the other end, White drove the baseline and found Lexis Hardiek open in the right corner where the senior sharpshooter buried the three.
On the ensuing inbounds, Hardiek stole the Osprey pass, gave it up to White, but White quickly returned it and Hardiek knocked down her second three in a 14 second span to tie the game at 49-49.
“Coach called a great play on the first three, so the timing was perfect,” Hardiek said. “With Grace and I on the right side of the press, her pressure allowed me to get the steal. The second three, then, came at critical time in the game and I was fortunate to hit it.”
Two more Waldron free throws and a Taylor Leathers jumper put the Kangaroos on a 14-0 run and ahead by four and after a basket by the Ospreys the 'Roos stretched the lead to five after three straight free throws with just 11 seconds left in regulation.
North Florida, though, would not go quietly, as the Ospreys knocked down a jumper, forced a turnover on the ensuing inbounds with five second left and then hit a three from the right wing with two second on the clock to force overtime.
In the overtime, White opened the extra frame with a three from the left wing off an assist from Mitchell, but UNF countered with a jumper to make it a one point game.
Mitchell followed with a layup for the 'Roos, but North Florida tied the game for the seventh time with 2:01 remaining at 61-61.
The two teams would each come up empty on their next two possessions, befoe White hit her go ahead free throw that North Florida followed with the game winning basket.
As a team, UMKC shot 45.0 percent from three-point range and limited UNF to just 39.7 percent shooting overall, while tallying seven steals and committing just 15 turnovers in the contest.
At the start of the game, North Florida struck first in the contest, but back-to-back baskets from White, including her first three gave UMKC its first lead of the game at 5-2.
The Ospreys answered with the game's next eight points, before three Kiana Law free throws and White's second long ball put the 'Roos back in front by one.
UMKC would hold the lead for the rest of the half, extending it to a first half-high of five on three separate occasions, twice of Waldron threes and for the final time heading into the half when Law converted underneath, sending UMKC to the locker room up 24-19.
Coming out of the break, the Ospreys scored the first eight points of the half before White split a pair of free throws to end the rally.
UNF extended its lead to 12 with just over seven minutes, but UMKC cut the lead to 10 four minutes later when they began their comeback.
Law finished with a career-high 12 rebounds and seven points in 25 minutes of action, her longest stint of the season, with Leathers recording a season-high 10 points and five rebounds in her 37 minutes on the court.
Hardiek, meanwhile, finished 3-of-9 from long range for a season-high nine points in a career-high 41 minutes played.
“We are really excited about the step they took forward as a team this trip,” Frese added. “This last road trip definitely helped prepare us for what we are about to see starting conference play. We are excite to see where this team can go the second half of the season.”
The Blue & Gold will be back in action when they return to Kansas City to open up WAC play at the Swinney Recreation Center on Jan. 10 against New Mexico State at 2 p.m.
