SALT LAKE CITY – MSU Denver staged a fourth-quarter rally to force overtime, but Northwest Nazarene (Idaho) hit 4 of its 5 tries from 3-point range in the extra sessions to escape with a 97-93 double-overtime victory Saturday in women's college basketball.
"It was a hard-fought game and we did a great job coming back after getting down in the third quarter," MSU Denver coach
Tanya Haave said. "Key mistakes – whether it was turnovers, fouls or lack of execution on either end of the floor – ultimately cost us the game."
MSU Denver trailed 54-46 entering the fourth quarter before rallying, and Mariana Silva Pereira's 3 with six seconds left forced the first extra frame.
The Roadrunners led 76-72 with 2:12 left in the first overtime, but Northwest Nazarene tied it on a 3 with 21 seconds left.
MSU Denver led 88-85 with 3:03 left in the second extra session, but Northwest Nazarene scored seven points in 66 seconds to put the Roadrunners on their heels and down four points.
Two free throws by Kendra Parra with 33 seconds left brought MSU Denver within 94-93, but Northwest Nazarene was able to close it out at the free throw line.
For the second time this season, Parra tied her career high of 26 points – she was 9 of 18 from the field and also had eight rebounds and four assists.
Parra is the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's leading scorer at 21.3 points per game.
"Kendra Parra continues to carry a heavy burden of our scoring," Haave said.
Silva Pereira had 14 points, Brianna Bailey added 13, and
Jaiden Galloway and true freshman Brianna Sealy each scored 12. Sealy also had seven rebounds and is averaging 6.5 per game.
"Bri Sealy made huge strides for us tonight," Haave said.
MSU Denver dropped to 0-4 while playing against some of the top teams in the Lone Star and Great Northwest Athletic Conferences, with three of the opponents coming off NCAA Tournament appearances.
"We are playing very strong teams right now, and we need to realize this adversity will make us better in the long run," Haave said. "Staying together as a group will be important for us moving forward."
