MINOT, N.D. - A defensive surge at the end of the fourth quarter kept the University of Mary Women's Basketball team in the game against Minot State University this evening, to force the second overtime game in as many weeks for U-Mary.
 
Alas, the Marauders (7-6, 1-4 NSIC) got off to a sluggish start in the extra frame and never recovered as the Beavers (5-6, 2-3 NSIC) rode a 9-2 run lasting until the 1:30 mark of overtime to an eventual 80-73 win, sending U-Mary back to Bismarck empty handed.
 
The game featured two evenly-matched teams most of the way as both squads traded baskets early in the first quarter; U-Mary owned the largest lead of 19-14 at the 1:56 mark off a perimeter shot from Haley Hibbs, but Minot State ensured they remained one possession behind as Kari Clements made a driving layup with 30 seconds left, putting the score at 19-16 after 10 minutes played.
 
Minot State tied the game at the start of the second as Sarah Lester sunk a three-pointer within the first 30 seconds, but Rachel Weir kick-started a 10-2 U-Mary run that featured five points from her and five from Dietz to give the Marauders a cushion of 29-21 with six minutes remaining in the half.
 
The Beavers would continually chip away at the lead but Dietz provided an extra layer of security with a three-point basket at the 4:04 mark, followed by a running jumper at the 2:36 mark to keep the Marauders on top with a nine-point advantage. Hannah Larson added a driving layup in the paint with 1:45 left on the clock for a 36-28 U-Mary lead, yet Minot State had the last say on their own court as Alex Haley made the buzzer-beating layup at the end of the half to keep the Marauders within striking distance at 36-30.
 
The third quarter saw a gradual shift in momentum as U-Mary held the 43-35 advantage at the 6:49 mark following another driving layup from Larson, but the Beavers fired off a 15-2 run that spanned the next 4:32 bookended by a free throw and a layup from Sarah Lester that put the Marauders on the defensive facing a 50-45 deficit with 2:17 left in the period.
 
Hayley Niles snapped the scoring drought with a jumper of her own at the 2:03 mark, but four more points from Minot State meant they held a comfortable lead, despite Weir making the final basket of the frame off a layup with 43 seconds left, with the Beavers up 54-49 heading into the fourth.
 
Larson took matters into her own hands to tipoff the fourth quarter with a three-pointer and layup combo to force the first tie of the final minutes at 54-54 with 7:36 to play, only to be followed by five points from Minot State that re-extended their lead back out to 59-54 at the 6:57 mark. Dietz and Weir combined for the next six Marauder points that gave U-Mary the slight edge at 60-59 after the final media timeout, but two made free throws from Savana Kingsbury and a layup from Alex Haley put Minot State back on top at 63-60 with less that three minutes to play.
 
Dani Williams provided the clutch three-pointer to keep the Marauders in the game that tied the score at 63 apiece with 1:54 remaining, but Alex Haley did everything in her power to end the game in regulation as she added yet another layup in the paint to give the Beavers a 65-63 lead with 59 seconds lingering.
 
Weir drew a critical foul in the final minute and sunk both free throw attempts to tie the game once again at 65-65, but there were 42 seconds left on the clock for Minot State to potentially take the lead as they drew up a play during the ensuing timeout. U-Mary's defense won out as they forced a turnover within three seconds of the inbound for a chance to end the game on their own terms, but Williams' layup attempt was just off the mark to give Minot State one final chance.
 
The Marauders' defense went into lockdown mode as Larson kept Alex Haley out of the lane and into a contested three-point shot attempt, with Larson stuffing the potential game-winning shot to send the game into overtime.
 
Minot State made the first seven points of the extra verse to put U-Mary on their heels and Dietz was the only Marauder to make a bucket in the first four minutes with a layup at the 1:40 mark to keep the score within reach at 72-67. Following two Beaver free throws, Hibbs completed the classic three-point play with a layup-and-one to put the score at 74-70 in favor of the home team.
 
The Marauders couldn't overcome the Beavers' free-throw shooting, unfortunately, as Minot State made all six attempts in the last 31 seconds to take the game at 80-73 to give U-Mary their second loss in a row.
 
Brittney Dietz led all scorers as she is prone to do, with 24 points coupled with 13 rebounds, a career high, for her first double-double of the season; she also added four assists and two blocks in 44 minutes played.
 
Hannah Larson provided the interior spark as she recorded 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 40 minutes of action.
 
Rachel Weir added 13 points of her own on 5-for-7 shooting to go with four rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 37 minutes on the floor.
 
Dani Williams had a helping hand in multiple phases of the game as she ended up with six points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals with 40 minutes played.
 
Haley Hibbs brought the scoring off the bench as she finished with eight points on 3-for-4 shooting paired with three rebounds and one block in 15 minutes on the court.
 
The Marauders will return to Bismarck on Friday, December 18, as they host Minot State for the second half of the home-and-home starting at 6:00 PM for U-Mary's Military Appreciation Night at the McDowell Activity Center.
 
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