A frenetic sequence at the end of regulation gave way to an overtime that saw a resilient Middle Georgia State team do enough for the 89-84 victory over Faulkner Tuesday evening. Kassidy Broussard missed the front end of a two-shot trip to the free throw line, leaving Faulkner down 74-71 with 12 seconds to play in regulation.
Reed Sutton called timeout and drew up his team's best look at a potential game-tying bucket. With four seconds on the game clock,
Micala Fisanick launched a 3-pointer that missed its mark. Freshman guard
Jacie Andrews alertly tipped the rebound out to
Ashlyn Adkins on the right wing. The senior guard gathered the ball and darted into the corner where she launched a contested triple that ripped through the net and tied the game.
The sequence capped a fourth quarter that saw five lead changes after Faulkner's seven-point advantage early in the frame disappeared when the Knights opened the final period on an 11-0 run.
Ryann Sylvester scored the first four points of overtime to put Faulkner up 78-74 before an 8-0 put Faulkner down by four. Fisanick drained a three with 1:05 left to narrow the gap to a point before
Evaiah Burrows knocked down a long-range shot of her own at the 15-second mark to slice it to a point again. Faulkner could get no closer as Middle made its final four free throws to seal the win.
Middle Georgia shot 40 percent from the floor in the game and 45 percent from three. Broussard paced the team with 22 points while Rykia Pennamon finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Three other Knights finished in double figures.
Faulkner countered by shooting 42 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three. The Lady Eagles also won the rebounding battle 43-42.
Adkins, who fouled out early in overtime, finished with 24 points, five rebounds and six assists. Fisanick added 15 points and seven rebounds. Burrows had 13 points while
Morgan Holland notched 10 points and eight rebounds.
Faulkner (11-10, 4-4 SSAC) resumes play Friday when it hosts Brewton-Parker for the first game in a weekend series.