BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Triple overtime was needed to determine a winner but, in the end, it was William Carey that prevailed in the end 86-80 over Blue Mountain Christian Thursday night at Tyler Gymnasium.
"It was a tough road conference test to start the season," said Head Coach Tracy English. "We were able to make the plays we needed down the stretch to get the win."
BMCU opened the scoring, but a layup and a made free throw by Kolten Blakeney put Carey ahead. From there Carey added to their lead, as Rose Warren and Shaneal Corpuz combined for nine points to put WCU up 12-4 halfway through the first quarter.
A Meyah Doyle layup a minute later made it a double-digit lead. However, the Lady Toppers over the next three minutes managed to cut the deficit to just five but a Warren jumper as time expired gave the Lady Crusaders a 16-9 lead heading into the second quarter
BMCU opened the second quarter cutting the lead down to 17-13, but Warren, Blakeney, and Corpuz combined for seven straight points to push the WCU lead to eleven. Once again though, the Lady Toppers cut the deficit to just four with three minutes left, but Doyle and Leah Sutton put Carey up 31-20 heading into the break.
Both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net coming out of the break, as almost two minutes passed before Blakeney made one of two free throws to break the scoring drought. Jenna Garriga followed with a jumper and Corpuz made two free throws to give Carey their largest lead of the night at 36-20. From there the Lady Crusaders maintained a double-digit lead until the Lady Toppers over a one-minute span went on a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to just six at 44-38 with that score holding until the end of the quarter.
BMCU continued to chip away at the WCU lead in the fourth quarter, but each time Carey answered to stay in front. However, with less than two minutes remaining, a three-point basket by Maddie Kirk gave the Lady Toppers their first lead of the game since the opening basket. With time winding down Corpuz was fouled under the basket sending her to the free throw line to potentially put WCU ahead.
She would only convert one of the attempts, tying the game at 55 with twelve seconds left. With Blue Mountain having the last shot attempt in their hands the Carey defense held strong forcing the would be game winning shot to miss its mark, sending the game into overtime.
BMCU opened the OT with the first basket but Sutton and Corpuz followed with baskets of their own to put Carey ahead 59-57. Once again, the Lady Crusaders maintained the lead with Blue Mountain right on their heels. With WCU leading 66-64 with five seconds left, Crystin Guy tied the game yet again with a layup. This time it was Carey that had the last look at trying to come out on top but just like WCU did in the fourth quarter, the Lady Toppers defense forced the jumper by Corpuz to miss its mark, sending the game into double overtime.
The Lady Crusaders again retook the lead in the second overtime, building a 72-67 lead with two minutes to play. Over the final minutes, Blue Mountain clawed their way back to tie the game at 72. With twenty seconds on the clock, Corpuz looked to take the shot from the free throw line but decided to pull the ball back which opened a wide-open lane to the basket for the easy layup to put WCU back in front. On the ensuing Lady Toppers possession, Guy was fouled on her layup attempt, sending her to the free throw line where she converted both attempts, sending the game into a third overtime.
In the third overtime, Carey found themselves trailing 78-74 after a minute of play but Sutton made what looked like a game tying three pointer was called a two pointer by the officials, as they quickly held up two fingers to signal that the shot was not a three point basket putting Carey down one point.
Freshman Addyson Sherer followed, scoring her first points of her collegiate career which gave the Lady Crusaders a 79-78 lead. Sherer made it a two-point lead making one of two free throws with Sutton pushing the lead to 82-78 with under a minute left in the overtime.
The Lady Toppers quickly made it a two-point game, but Blakeney pushed the Carey lead back to four with a jumper with Corpuz sealing the victory, converting both free throw attempts for the final margin.
"I knew I had to get back defense and not let them score again," said Sherer. "I definitely felt the pressure, but it helped that I have been in that situation before. But I was extremely excited to have scored my first college points, I just could not show it yet.
Shaneal Corpuz finished the game tying her career high in points with 29 while setting a new career high in rebounds with 18. "It's a good feeling tying my career high in points, but I am not quite satisfied with it," said Corpuz. I really wanted to get to that 30 mark, but I am more satisfied with the 18 rebounds than the 29 points."
Kolten Blakeney added 18 points while pulling down eleven boards. "We did a lot of great things in the last overtime defensively," said Blakeney. "We got a lot of great stops that changed the momentum of the game and allowed us to take back control of the of the offense. We really stepped up in the third overtime."
Also finishing the game in double figures was Leah Sutton with ten points and one rebound shy of a double double.
Carey is back in action Saturday, as they head to Pulaski, Tenn. to take on SSAC opponent UT-Southern. Play is set to begin at 12:00 pm.
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