University of Missouri
Holy Cross
Mizzou Loses Triple Overtime Thriller
11/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 29, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. - Senior Alyssa Hollins scored her 1,000th career point but the Missouri women's basketball team fell in a three overtime thriller, 94-93, to Holy Cross in the DoubleTree White Invitational in Evanston, Ill., on Saturday afternoon. Hollins led the Tigers with 27 points and finished the game with 1,008 in her career.
Sophomore Shakara Jones and junior Jessra Johnson added 22 and 21, respectively, while sophomore RaeShara Brown grabbed a personal best 12 rebounds.
After Johnson converted a three-point play with 20 seconds left in the third overtime for a 93-92 Tiger lead, Holy Cross' Briana McFadden hit a layup with eight seconds on the clock. Missouri drove the length of the court in the final seconds but a jumper from Hollins bounced off the rim to seal the Crusader victory.
The loss drops Mizzou to 1-4 while Holy Cross improved to 1-4.
The game was only the second three overtime contest in Missouri history, joining a 118-111 loss to Kansas on Jan. 29, 1983. Missouri also dished out 31 assists and Hollins tied a Tiger single game record with seven three-pointers in the contest.
The Crusaders built an early 21-13 lead with 10:24 left in the first but the Tigers reeled off a 10-2 run to tie the game at 23-23 when sophomore Jasmyn Otote nailed a three-pointer with 7:01 on the clock.
The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes but Jones hit consecutive baskets, including a reverse layup for a 38-35 Mizzou advantage with 57 seconds remaining in the frame. The Tigers then grabbed a steal and sophomore RaeShara Brown layed in a layup as time expired in the half for a 40-35 Missouri halftime lead.
Both squads played even for the first six minutes of the second half, as Missouri used two treys from Hollins, a layup from redshirt freshman Bekah Mills and another three from junior Toy Richbow for a 51-46 lead with 13:39 on the clock.
With 12:37 left in the contest, Hollins scored the 999th and 1,000th points of her career as the Tigers went up 55-48.
Holy Cross chipped away at Mizzou's lead and got within one, 74-73, after Meredith Ward dropped in a running layup with 2:17 left in the contest. Brown hit one of two free throws for a two point Tiger lead, 75-73, with 1:51 remaining.
After Crusader Bethany O'Dell made a basket with 11.5 on the clock, Missouri had a chance one last chance to win the game but a three-pointer from Johnson bounced off the rim and neither team was able to corral the rebound.
Holy Cross scored the first five points in overtime to build an 80-75 advantage with 3:31 left in the session. Hollins then sank her career high seventh three-pointer of the contest with 3:34 on the clock to knot the game at 80-80. With 34 seconds left, Johnson nabbed a steal to allow Mizzou to shoot for the final shot. The Crusaders earned a jump ball and then kicked the ball to give the Tigers an inbounds with 2.1 left. Johnson's 25-footer rimmed out.
Johnson was fouled with 11.6 second left in the second overtime and missed both her shots but Jones grabbed the offensive rebound. A three-point attempt from Hollins bounced away, sending the game to a third overtime.
One-of-two free throws from Johnson and a turnaround jumper from Jones with 1:43 left gave the Tigers a 90-87 advantage. Holy Cross' Briana McFadden made a three-point play and hit two more free throws with 31.5 on the clock for a 92-90 lead.
Mizzou continues play in the DoubleTree White Invitational on Sunday, Nov. 30 with a 3 p.m. contest against host Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Following the tournament, Missouri returns to Mizzou Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 3 for a matchup with Toledo at 6:30 p.m.
