It was upset after upset in MIAA women’s basketball on Saturday night, and some of the games kind of blew me away. It’s not that I thought No. 2 Washburn or No. 9 Emporia State was going to run the table in the MIAA this season, or even come close. But to lose this early? At home? Maybe it’s more wide open than I thought?
Here’s a modified release from the MIAA on the big upsets, with C. Mo handed the Blues their first loss of the year (despite another big game from Janice Bright) and Southwest Baptist rallying to beat the Hornets, who seem to be having a bit of a post-Michelle Stueve hangover.
UCM 79, No. 2 WU 77, OT
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Central Missouri Jennies scored the final eight points in overtime and sophomore G Kara Fleming hit a jumper with 1.4 seconds remaining to upset second-ranked Washburn. 79-77. at Lee Arena Saturday night (Jan. 3).
The Jennies (9-3, 4-1 MIAA) trailed, 77-71, with 2:25 to play in the extra period before making their final run to pull off the upset. The win was the first for UCM in Topeka since a 66-50 decision on Feb. 16, 2000.
Trailing 77-71, Fleming started the run with a jumper to draw UCM within four. Senior G Dominica Blakemore hit a jumper to pull the game to 77-75, and after the Jennies forced a turnover, junior G Deidra Dace hit a runner in the lane to tie the game at 77 with 45 seconds remaining.
Another turnover by Washburn (12-1, 5-1 MIAA) with 26 ticks on the clock set up the final play for Fleiming and the Jennies.
EMPORIA, Kan. — Southwest Baptist used runs of 13-0 and 15-4 to take control after trailing by as many as 16 points in the second half of an 86-73 upset of ninth-ranked Emporia State at White Auditorium Saturday night (Jan. 3).
SBU (5-7, 2-3 MIAA) snapped win streaks of six games overall and 16 games at home by the Lady Hornets (11-2, 5-1 MIAA), doing so by converting 13 of 15 free throws in the final 3:47 to secure the win.
ESU led by as many as 12 in the first half before taking a 10-point lead into the halftime break. The Lady Hornets scored eight of the first 10 points of the second half to get a 50-34 advantage with 17:33 left.
The E-State lead was 12 with 9:58 to go thanks to a layup from senior F Ida Edwards before the Bearcats lauched their first outburst.
Senior G Courtney Creed, the MIAA’s scoring leader entering the game (18.7 ppg), had been held to just four points in the first half. Her first field goal of the second half at the 9:15 mark started a string of 13 straight SBU points.
One Comment
Stueve was great, but after 13 games last year ESU was 9-4 and 2-2 in the MIAA. Right now ESU is 11-2 and 5-1 in the league. The Lady Hornets are actually second in the nation in scoring and scoring margin. If that’s a hangover, it doesn’t seem to bad to me.