Savage Storm Erase 24-point Deficit in OT Rivalry Win

ADA, Okla. – Southeastern needed five extra minutes, but erased a 24-point deficit versus rival East Central behind a career-high 29 points from Holli Lindley to collect a 73-69 come-from-behind victory on Thursday night in Ada, Okla.
 
The win is the sixth-straight for the Savage Storm who improve to 12-5 overall on the year and 9-2 in Great American Conference play heading into its first league rematch on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Okla.
 
Lindley would finish the night 6-of-15 overall from the floor and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc while adding a 13-of-15 effort at the free throw line, none bigger than the three she would sink with 0.6 second to play in regulation to force overtime.
 
Caitlin Kobiske would see an early end to her night after fouling out but not before putting up 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including hitting both threes she put up.
 
Kenzli Warden would also four out after putting up 11 points that included a pair of threes.
 
Brianna Wietelman finished just short of double-figures after going 3-for-3 with a pair of threes on her way to eight points, while Stevie Stinchcomb also added eight with a pair of threes while handing out a game-high seven assists.
 
Warden would pull down a team-high eight rebounds while Lindley was next in line with five.
 
ECU would jump in front early, but the Storm would trail 8-7 with 3:57 to play in the opening quarter, but the Tigers would close the quarter on a 17-3 run to lead the contest 25-10 at the end of one quarter.
 
The second quarter brought little relief as ECU would push its lead out to a game-high 24 points before taking a 40-18 lead into the half.
 
Southeastern would come out hacking away at the deficit, and with 3:47 to play in the third Stinchcomb would hit a three to cut the gap to 48-38, but would still trail by double figures at 53-42.
 
A Warden three to open the third quarter would cut the deficit to single digits and just under five minutes later a Stinchcomb three would knot the game at 53-53.
 
SE would finally take its first lead on a Lindley three with 26 seconds to play, but the Tigers would get a layup and a pair of free throws to lead 61-58 with six seconds remaining.
 
Lindley would then draw a foul on a three-point attempt with 0.6 second remaining and after knocking down all three shots would send the game to overtime tied at 61-61.
 
Southeastern opened the extra frame on a 6-1 run that was capped by an Ashton Hackler bucket to take a 67-62 lead with 3:18 to play.
 
The Tigers would chip away at the SE advantage, eventually tying the game at 68-68 with 1:10 remaining.
 
Lindley would go 1-of-2 and Stinchcomb would add a 2-for-4 effort from the free throw line to push the lead to 71-68 with 12 seconds to play.
 
ECU followed with a free throw of their own, but two more Lindley free throws with four ticks remaining would secure the 73-69 victory.