SFA Loses Overtime Heartbreaker to Lancers

Thursday, February 29

Nacogdoches, TX

6:30 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

18-10,12-5WAC

100

California Baptist University

23-3,15-2WAC

OT 1

California Baptist

100

SFA

SFA Loses Overtime Heartbreaker to Lancers

2/29/2024 10:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Peter Trainor, Student Assistant for Strategic Communications

NACOGDOCHES, Texas. - The Stephen F. Austin women's basketball team (18-10, 12-5) rallied from multiple double-digit deficits to the California Baptist Lancers (23-3, 15-2) to help force overtime, but fell just short of a comeback with the Lancers coming away with a 100-96 win in a thriller at the Sawmill.

The 'Jacks got the scoring started early in this one as Lydia Cooke-Wiggins drove into the paint, converting the basket and drawing a foul in the process, and draining the free-throw to complete the three-point play and put SFA ahead 3-0. Following a pair of Lancers three-pointers, Kurstyn Harden would continue her dominating season in the paint as she would score the next five points from SFA, including converting a three-point play of her own to keep the two teams tied at eight apiece. The Lancers would continue to make their triples, however, Kurstyn Harden and Mele Finau would keep the SFA scoring consistent as both would make baskets to keep the CBU lead at 18-13 midway through the first. Harden and Trinity Moore would make baskets to help bring SFA closer at 20-17 with two minutes left, however, the next minute would be all Lancers as they would go on a 7-0 scoring run to take a 27-17 lead with under a minute left in the quarter. SFA would get the last say in scoring for the first as Trinity Moore would pull down an offensive rebound and draw a foul, while converting the free-throw to cut the CBU lead down to 27-18 heading to the second quarter. Kurstyn Harden would lead all SFA scorers in the first as she scored 10 points while pulling down three rebounds.

The second quarter saw Kurstyn Harden carry over her dominance from the first as she would drive into the paint and bank home a layup to bring SFA to within seven at 27-30. However, the Lancers would have a quick answer to Harden as they would knock down their sixth triple of the game to regain their lead to 10 at 30-20. Following a Sydney White layup for the Lancers, Destini Lombard would get the three-point shooting started for SFA with her first basket of the game a shot from downtown to keep the CBU lead at nine at 32-23. Lydia Cooke-Wiggins would knock down the Ladyjacks second triple of the quarter just a minute later to make the score 34-26 in favor of the Lancers. The two schools would exchange baskets before Tyler McCliment-Call got in on the three-point action with one of her own, the 'Jacks third of the quarter which brought SFA to within six at 37-31. The Lancers would answer with a triple of their own, however, Trinity Moore would continue her strong free-throw shooting with a pair of them to keep SFA to within seven at 40-33 with three minutes remaining. SFA would end the second on a 6-2 scoring run as McCliment-Call, Harden, and Lombard all scored baskets for SFA to send the teams into the locker rooms with CBU still leading 46-39. SFA would knock down three triples in the quarter, and ended the second on a bang as Destini Lombard would knock down a jumper with less than four seconds left to send SFA into halftime with some momentum.

SFA came out roaring to start the second half as they would open up the third on a 7-0 scoring run thanks to baskets from Mele Finau and Kurstyn Harden, before Lydia Cooke-Wiggins drained a triple to cap the scoring run off and tie the game at 46. The Lancers would respond almost immediately with a 10-0 scoring run of their own, which was put an end by a Destini Lombard three-pointer, which was followed by a Kurstyn Harden layup to keep the score close at 56-51 in favor of CBU. The two schools would exchange baskets and free-throws over the next two minutes with CBU maintaining a slight edge and leading 65-55 with two minutes left in the third. However, a Tyler McCliment-Call three-pointer would help spark a 7-2 scoring run for SFA to bring them back within five points at 67-62. However, Chloe Webb would put an end to SFA's scoring run as she drained a three-pointer with four seconds left to put CBU back ahead by eight at 70-62 heading to the fourth quarter.

Chloe Webb would open up scoring in the fourth for the Lancers, however, Avery VanSickle would answer back with her first triple of the game to keep the lead at single digits with CBU leading 72-65. However, VanSickle wasn't satisfied with just one triple as she would knock down her second consecutive triple to inch SFA closer at 72-68. Kyla Deck would rattle off five straight points for SFA to offset a pair of Lancer free-throws to close the CBU lead down to a single point at 74-73. After CBU moved their lead back to three, Destini Lombard would drain the 'Jacks third triple of the quarter to tie the game, and Kyla Deck would bank home a layup to completely flip the script and give SFA the lead at 78-76 halfway through the fourth which was moved to a five-point lead due to another triple from Destini Lombard. The next three minutes saw the two teams exchange baskets evenly with the game being tied at 84 with one minute left. Following a Kurstyn Harden free-throw to give SFA a brief 85-84 lead, Chloe Webb scored four straight for the Lancers to give them a three-point lead at 88-85 with three seconds left. All hope seemed lost for SFA, however, a football toss from Ituau Tuisaula from SFA's in-bounds found Kurstyn Harden 3/4th of the way down the court and resulted in Harden trying to heave up a last-second three-pointer but she was fouled in the process and went to the free-throw line with a chance to tie the game with three free-throws. You could hear a pin drop in the Sawmill, however, Harden continued doing what she has done all season for SFA, as she remained calm, cool, collected, and drained all three free-throws to tie the game at 88 and send the game to an extra period.

CBU opened up the overtime period on a 7-0 scoring run to take a 95-88 lead, however, Kurstyn Harden continued her dominant game with a basket, which was followed by a Kyla Deck three-pointer from way downtown to keep the CBU lead at 97-93 lead with 90 seconds left. Unfortunately for SFA, the Lancers would not this lead get away from them as they would make their free-throws and keep the Ladyjacks just short of completing an epic second half comeback as the Lancers would claim a 100-96 win over SFA.

Kurstyn Harden continues to be a purely unstoppable force in the paint as the Lancers had zero answers for Harden who put up a new career-high 29 points thanks to a career-high 11 field goals. Harden fell just short of a double-double as she finished with nine rebounds, while tying for the team lead in assists with four. Destini Lombard played a critical role in SFA's big fourth quarter to help force overtime as she hit a team-leading four three-pointers tonight in route to 18 points, while also falling just short of a double finishing with nine rebounds, while contributing significantly defensively yet again as she tied with Harden with two blocks, and led the team with four steals. Kyla Deck rounded out the top three scorers for SFA with 14 points, draining a pair of triples, while pulling down seven rebounds and adding two steals to her season total. Meanwhile, Tyler McCliment-Call, Avery VanSickle, and Lydia Cooke-Wiggins formed a nice trio as they each made two triples apiece, combining for 26 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists, and six three-pointers.

The Ladyjacks shot over 40% from the field for the fourth straight game, while making double-digit three-pointers for their second straight game. The Ladyjacks pulled down their second highest rebound total of the season with 51 against the Lancers, while recording double-digit offensive rebounds for the fifth time in their last six games. Kurstyn Harden helped lead a 38 points in the paint effort for SFA, while they turned 14 offensive rebounds into 13 second chance points. Meanwhile, the Ladyjacks recorded eight steals and five blocks which they were able to turn into 26 points off turnovers, and received 22 points from their bench.

The Ladyjacks will look to put this loss behind them quickly as they get set to host the Grand Canyon Lopes on Saturday, March 2nd with tip-off scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CST at the Sawmill as the Ladyjacks look to sweep the season series against GCU.