The Henderson State women's basketball team got 24 points from freshman
Hailey Estes and had five other players score in double figures, but fell 94-88 in overtime to Southwest Baptist in its season opener on Friday night in Bolivar, Missouri.
The Reddies got off to a strong start in their first game of the 2016-17 season, and opened up a 20-14 lead on the Bearcats at the end of the first quarter behind 10 early points from junior forward
Bree Bossier. After the hot start to the game, Henderson opened the second period on a 10-3 run to take its largest lead of the game 30-17. Southwest Baptist chipped away at the deficit for the rest of the quarter, but the Reddies carried a 37-30 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter the Bearcats got rolling, and turned a seven-point deficit into a seven-point lead by winning the quarter 28-14 to take a 58-51 advantage into the final period.
Despite trailing by 11 at one point in the fourth quarter 73-62, the Reddies kept chipping away at the Southwest Baptist lead, eventually trimming it down to 76-73 with 3:03 to play with an 11-3 spurt. After several scoreless possessions from both teams, the Bearcats hit a three-pointer to go up 79-73 and seemed to have control of the game. Down by six points with 34 seconds left in regulation, Henderson's
Brittany Branum was fouled and drained two free throws to bring the Reddies to within 79-75. After a quick Henderson foul, Southwest Baptist went one-for-two at the line to retake an 80-75 lead. Needing to score quickly, Estes got to the basket and scored to make it 80-77, then stripped a Bearcat ball handler in the backcourt, found an opening, and nailed a three-pointer with 2 seconds on the clock to improbably send the game into overtime tied at 80-80.
The Reddies took the lead twice in the overtime period on three-pointers from
Haleigh Henson and
Torrie Thompson, but the Bearcats went 10-10 at the line in the extra five minutes and ultimately pulled away for a 94-88 win.
Estes, in her first collegiate game, scored 13 of her 24 points in the second half, hit six of Henderson's nine three-pointers and also grabbed seven rebounds. Bossier had 16 points and seven rebounds, while Branum had 12 points, six boards, three assists and three steals in defeat.
Henderson's next game is tomorrow at 8:15 p.m. against Northwest Missouri State.
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