Fire Drop Overtime Thriller to Seahawks

The Southeastern University women's basketball team dropped their last game of the regular season in overtime, against Sun Conference opponent, Keiser University 84-80. 

The Fire jumped out in front early with a 7-2 lead with the help of Emilia Sexton scoring five points within the first four minutes. The Seahawks would respond by scoring six unanswered to gain the lead for the first time. Both teams would trade leads for the remainder of the first quarter and would end the quarter with Southeastern leading 16-13. In the second quarter, the Seahawks took the largest lead of the game when they went up 37-28 with 2:59 remaining in the half. Keiser would maintain their lead heading into half 39-32. 

At the half, Southeastern shot 41.9% from the field, 30.7% from the three-point line, and 40% from the free throw line.

Coming out of the half, the Fire would slowly chip away at the Seahawks' lead, coming within two with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter. The Fire would finally regain the lead in the fourth quarter with 3:09 remaining 65-53 after a deep three-pointer from Anja Knoflach. With 1:50 remaining, Southeastern led by four, 67-63. The Seahawks would then capitalize on a turnover to score a quick three-pointer, followed by another three-pointer 30 seconds later to tie the game and ultimately send the game into overtime. 

The Fire would quickly take the lead in overtime with another three-pointer by Knoflach within the first seven seconds. The Seahawks answer with a three-pointer of their own, and capitalize on both free throws to take the lead 72-70. Southeastern would play from behind the entire period and ultimately ran out of time as the Seahawks made five of their last six free throws in the last thirty seconds. 

As a team, the Fire shot 47% from the field, 40% from behind the arc, and 66.7% from the free throw line. 

Knoflach led the team in points with 23 and added four rebounds and two assists. Sexton was not far behind with 18 points and added five assists and four rebounds. 

Kiki Britzmann led the team in rebounds as she recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Gabby Suarez also scored 17 points and led the squad in assists with eight and was the team's second leading rebounder with six.  

The Fire will be back on the court Tuesday in The Sun Conference quarterfinals.