The Lady Rebels bounced back to take the series sweep against Wyoming in a thrilling overtime win, defeating the Cowgirls 63-60.
After being down the entire game, freshman guard and point leader Amarachi Kimpson tied the game with a layup with 19 seconds left, sending the game into overtime. Kimpson scored 16 points, shooting 6-9 from the field and 3-3 from the free throw line.
Emily Mellema led Wyoming in points with 14, shooting 5-14 from the field.
Mellema scored the game’s first points with a 3-pointer, assisted by Tess Barnes.
Alyssa Durazo-Frescas got the Rebels on the board with a 3-pointer, assisted by Alyssa Brown with 7:31 in the quarter.
That did not stop Mellema; she scored another from beyond the arc to give the Cowgirls the lead.
Desi-Rae Young gave the Rebels an extra two, putting them down 8-5.
Mellema had a fiery first quarter, adding two to the Cowgirls’ score.
Kiara Jackson closed the scoring gap with a layup and a free throw. Jasmyn Lott tied the game at 10 with a layup.
McKinley Dickerson prevented the Rebels from taking the lead with a 3-pointer, assisted by Kati Ollilainen.
Allyson Fertig scored 15-10 with a jumper.
Nneka Obiazor kept the score within three with a layup, ending the quarter with a 15-12 score.
After many missed shots from both sides, a foul on Marta Savic sent Obiazor to the free throw line, where she kept the score within one by making both shots.
Dickerson kept the Wyoming lead within three with a layup, assisted by Barnes.
Obiazor once again closed that gap with a layup.
Kimpson gave the Rebels their first lead of the game with a layup, giving the Rebels the 18-17 lead.
Dickerson took away the lead with a 3-pointer, assisted by Marlene Pedersen.
Young tied the game with a layup 25 seconds later.
Fertig added two to the Cowgirl’s score with a jump shot, but Young tied it again with a jump shot.
Ollilainen and Barnes put the Cowgirls ahead by four with two points each. Young rebutted with a layup to end the second quarter, putting the Lady Rebels back on top with a 26-24 score at the half.
Fertig started the 3rd quarter with a jump shot, putting the Cowgirls up 28-24 just 28 seconds into the quarter.
The scoring battle continued as Mellema made a jump shot, and Ashley Scoggin made a layup, keeping the score at 30-28.
The scoring stopped for about three minutes until Fertig completed a layup, putting the Cowgirls up 32-28.
Five seconds later, a flagrant foul was called on Young, as it appeared as if Dickerson and Young slapped each other. Dickerson was sent to the free-throw line, where she made one of her two shots.
After a missed jump-shot from Fertig and an offensive rebound after a missed 3-pointer, Kimpson put the Rebels back in the game with a 3-point play.
Ola Ustowska added to the Cowgirls’ lead with a 3-pointer, putting them up 36-31, and Pederson added two more to the lead with a layup, assisted by Ustowska.
Macie James added two for the Rebels with a jump shot, making the score 38-33.
Barnes put the Cowgirls up by eight with a 3-pointer, leading the Rebels 41-33.
A jumper by Young cut the lead down by two, ending the third quarter with a 41-35 score.
Fertig scored the first basket of the fourth quarter with 8:34 left, putting the Cowgirls up 43-35.
Fertig fouled shortly after, sending Young to the free-throw line, where she made both shots.
Dickerson added to the Cowgirls’ score with a layup, putting them up 45-37.
Scoggin bounced back with a 3-pointer assisted by Young, cutting the Cowgirl lead down to five.
A layup from Fertig added to the Cowgirl lead, putting them up 47-40. Shortly after, Obiazor made a 3-pointer with assistance from Kiara Jackson, once again cutting the lead to five.
A layup from Kimpson cut the lead down to two, but a layup from Barnes added two more to the lead.
A jump shot by Kimpson closed the margin from a six-point gap to a four-point gap.
Free throws from James closed the gap to a two-point game. One final layup from Kimpson sent the game into overtime.
Jackson drew the first points of overtime with a layup 27 seconds in. Kimpson added to the lead with a 3-pointer to go up five 1:10 seconds into the overtime.
Dickerson cut the lead to two with a 3-pointer, assisted by Barnes.
A jump-shot from Jackson extended the Rebels lead to two possessions late in the overtime.
With 28 seconds left, Mellema made a layup, cutting the lead back down to two.
Pederson had a pivotal foul called on her, and Jackson made both free throws, giving the Rebels the 62-58 lead.
A free throw from Young gave the Rebels the extra point.
Mellema made both of her free throws after a foul was called on Jackson, but it was not enough to overcome the Rebels as they pulled away with a 63-60 victory in the rivalry game.
