LEXINGTON, Ky.— A career –high 39 points from Katelyn Smith lifted the Transylvania University women's basketball team over the University of Mount Union, 94-90, in triple overtime at the Clive M. Beck Center Saturday.
"This was a courageous team effort and I was incredibly proud of the fight our team showed," head coach Juli Fulks said. "After two games this week, we executed our press break well and did a great job on the boards and on defense."
Tied at 85 in the third overtime period, Smith netted a clutch bucket giving the Pioneers a two-point lead. Smith was fouled on the play and extended the Transylvania lead to three with 1:30 remaining.
Elizabeth Thomas and the Pioneer defense created another turnover on the other end of the floor. Smith converted the turnover into points, giving Transylvania a five-point lead, it's largest of the game, with 41 seconds left to play. Smith added two late free throws all but sealing the win for the Pioneers.
However, Mount Union's Annie Bova sank her 30th point of the night with a three-pointer with seven seconds on the clock, pulling the Purple Raiders within two, 92-90. On the next possession, senior Nicole Coffman drew the foul and put the game out of reach with two timely free throws. Mount Union took the ball down the floor, but the half-court shot as time expired came up short.
The Purple Raiders held a three-point lead with 21 seconds left in regulation, before sophomoreJordin Fender converted an old fashioned three-point play tying the game at 63. Fender drove the paint for a bucket inside, while drawing a foul. Fender calmly netted the free throw for the Pioneers sending the game into overtime.
"We had several different players step up at different moments to make huge plays and Katelyn gave us crucial scores in the third overtime," Fulks said.
Transylvania led by as many as four in the first overtime period, but the Purple Raiders kept the game within reach. Bova drilled a three-pointer with 36 seconds remaining to tie the game at 73 forcing another overtime period.
Free throws from Smith were the first points of the second overtime period giving Transylvania a two point lead. Coffman sank another free throw extending the Pioneer lead, before Chandler Moore pulled the Purple Raiders within one with a layup following a Mount Union timeout. Bova, again, connected a three-pointer shifting the lead back to Mount Union. Fender, however, added another impressive bucket from inside the paint tying the game at 78 forcing the third overtime period.
The Pioneers shot 77 percent (28-for-36) from the line and outrebounded Mount Union 57-40 for the game. Bova led the way for Mount Union with 30 points and 4-for-8 from behind-the-arc. Moore added nine points, along with 10 rebounds for the Purple Raiders.
Fender finished with 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Coffman added 22 points and six rebounds in the win.
Smith eclipsed 1,000 points for her career becoming the 18th member of the 1,000-point club. Coffman is also an active member of the 1,000-point club.
With the win, the Pioneers improve to 4-0 on the season. Transylvania hosts Mount St. Joseph University Dec. 3 at the Clive M. Beck Center. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.