by MACOMB, Ill. – The ORU women’s basketball team fell in overtime to Western Illinois 76-72 Saturday evening in Macomb, Illinois.
Western Illinois jumped out to 14-10 lead going in to the first media timeout of the game. Kaylan Mayberry and Lakota Beatty (Caddo/Lakota Gros Ventre) gave ORU six points with a three-point bucket each. The Golden Eagles shot 47 percent and at the end of the first and were tied with Western Illinois 19-19.
In the second quarter, a back and forth scoring battle occurred. Western Illinois closed out the second quarter on an 8-0 run and led ORU 41-34 at halftime. Western Illinois shot 46 percent from the field and scored 22 points in the second. The Golden Eagles shot 29 percent from the field and scored 15 points. Hillary Hurst led ORU in points in the first half with nine. Maria Martianez had seven rebounds at the half.
In the third quarter, ORU cut in to Western Illinois lead and trailed at the end of the quarter 54-48. The Golden Eagles out-scored the Leathernecks in the third 14-13. ORU shot 23 percent from the field in the third, while Western Illinois shot 33 percent.
Lakota Beatty hit a three-point bucket one minute in to the fourth that cut Western Illinois lead down to five. The Golden Eagles trailed by two points with 4:53 remaining in the quarter. Faith Ihim fouled out of the game with 4:30 left. Ihim ended the day with 14 points and seven rebounds. ORU tied the game at 61 with 2:50 left. The Golden Eagle defense stopped Western Illinois’ last second shot. The game was tied 63-63 at the end of regulation.
Western Illinois took a five point lead with 46 seconds remaining in the overtime period. Maria Martianez grabbed her second double-double of the season in the overtime period. She finished the day with 18 points and 15 rebounds. The Leathernecks hit free-throws down the stretch and won 76-72 in overtime.
