Women’s Basketball Advances in Double Overtime Thriller

Sunday, March 10

Sioux Falls, S.D.

1 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

13-16

106

101

Western Illinois

14-16

OT 1

OT 2

Western Illinois

101

Fort Wayne

106

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media

Women’s Basketball Advances in Double Overtime Thriller

3/10/2013 4:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The IPFW women's basketball team will advance to the 2013 Summit League Women's Basketball semifinals after defeating Western Illinois in the quarterfinals 106-101 in double overtime.

Sunday's game against the Leathernecks was arguably the most exciting game in IPFW women's basketball history as the Mastodons not only advanced in tournament play, but they set a new Summit League Tournament records for most combined points in one game and it also marks the first time a game has reached double overtime.

Stefanie Mauk came up with two huge field goals to keep IPFW alive late in the contest. Mauk hit a 3-point field goal with four seconds to play in regulation to force overtime and then she drove to the basket and scored a layup with three seconds to play forcing the game into double overtime.

Stefanie Mauk had two clutch buckets, but it was a team effort that gave IPFW a 106-101 win on Sunday. All five starters scored in double figures and point guard Haley Seibert exploded for a career-high 33 points on 9-of-16 shooting. Seibert added five assists, three rebounds and two steals in 50 minutes of playing time.

Seibert along with Rachel and Stefanie Mauk kept fighting until the final buzzer as Amanda Hyde and Erin Murphy each fouled out in double overtime. Rachel Mauk was on fire in the first half scoring 14 of her 19 points in the first 20 minutes of play. Mauk was 4-for-9 from behind the arc.

Hyde scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against the Leathernecks to record her first double-double of her career and Murphy was an impact player with 20 points, five assists and three steals.

IPFW hit 14 3-point field goals in the win, which set a new Summit League tournament record. They ended the game shooting 45 percent compared to 41 percent (12-29) for Western Illinois.

The Leathernecks had three players score over 20 points in the quarterfinals as Michelle Maher led the team with 26. Ashley Luke controlled the paint with 24 and Jackie Rieger was also active with 22.

The Mastodons held a 40-38 halftime lead as Erin Murphy beat the buzzer with a driving layup. IPFW trailed from the tip and was down by as much as eight points. They tied the game at 28-28 after a 3-pointer from Seibert and took their first lead of the half the next possession on a Seibert layup.

The story of the first half was Rachel Mauk hitting three consecutive 3-point field goals to get IPFW back within two points of Western Illinois. Mauk sparked a run that allowed IPFW to stay in the game despite only having one field goal from Hyde in the first 20 minutes of action.

The second half was back and forth with seven lead changes and five ties. Hyde gave IPFW an eight point cushion with nine minutes to play, but the Leathernecks responded and cut the lead to one after a Rieger layup.

A free throw from Seibert tied the game at 78-78 and a second gave IPFW a one point lead. The combination of Luke and Saule Kontautaite gave Western Illinois an 82-79 lead with 32 seconds to play, but the 'Dons never quit as Murphy hit a layup and Mauk drained a 3 to force overtime.

Neither team could break away in overtime number two. Maher hit a huge three turning a one point deficit into a two point lead. Seibert countered with a three of her own and another clutch field goal from Mauk sent the game into double overtime.

Hyde scored the first bucket of the second overtime before fouling out with the score at 98-97. Luke connected on one of her two free throws and the game would once again be tied up with 3:07 to play.

The game stayed close as Rachel Mauk broke the tie with a free throw with 1:08 on the game clock. Kontautaite missed a layup on Western Illinois' next possession and Seibert hit a dagger from the corner which led to the IPFW win.

Seibert was a key player in crunch time as she hit a 3-point field goal, made two free throws and recorded a steal in the final 30 seconds of the game.

IPFW will return to the Sioux Falls Arena tomorrow, March 11 to face No. 1 South Dakota State at noon central, 1 p.m. EST.

~ Feel the Rumble ~