RIVER FALLS, Wis. (Duhawks.com) - With 6:31 remaining, the Loras women's basketball team found themselves in the drivers' seat, leading by 12 points over No. 8 St. Thomas. A 17-5 run by the Tommies erased the Duhawk lead and sent the game to overtime where St. Thomas carried over the momentum powered its way to a 76-68 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament. Senior Megan Jones finished with a career-best 17 points, connecting on 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.

TURNING POINT
With 6:31 left in the fourth quarter, Loras was in front 58-46 before St. Thomas went on a 17-5 run to close the gap and tie the game in the final minute of regulation. The momentum carried over into overtime for the Tommies, outscoring the Duhawks 13-5 in the extra period.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
St. Thomas raced out to a 7-0 lead in the opening minutes of the game before a timeout from Loras slowed the momentum. Junior Kat Cabrera hit a jumper with 7:48 left to put the Duhawks on the board. Numerous offensive shortcomings from the Tommies opened the door for Loras to make its charge back into the game.

With time winding down, senior Megan Jones drained a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to bring the Loras faithful to their feet and bring the first quarter to a close with the teams tied at 12.

Second Quarter
Both teams labored through the second quarter with very little offense. A total of 10 points were scored between the two sides. Loras managed to keep the game within reach, matching the St. Thomas point-for-point.

A free throw from junior Lori Obendorf capped the scoring and sent the game to the halftime break with the Tommies in front, 21-19.

Third Quarter
The halftime break provided both teams with an opportunity to shore up their shortcomings on offense in the second half. Most notably, Loras found its offensive touch, highlighted by back-to-back-to-back 3-points from sophomore Miranda Chapman and Jones.

With a six-point lead in hand, the Duhawks added a pair of free throws from junior Terese McMahon to secure a five-point lead heading into the final frame.

Fourth Quarter
Loras picked up right where it left off, running its lead to 11 with 7:37 left in the quarter. McMahon dropped a pair of layups into the twine and added a free throw to cap a three-point play early in the quarter.

Another layup from McMahon gave the Duhawks their largest lead of the night at 58-46 with 6:31 to play. Seconds later, the Tommies' Kaitlin Langer was whistled for her fifth foul, ending her night with 25 points. With the target forward out of the game, Loras struggled to take advantage, leaving the door open for a comeback from St. Thomas. Over the final six and a half minutes, the Tommies went on a 17-5 run, erasing the double-digit Duhawk lead with 19 seconds remaining in the game.

A timeout from Loras advanced the ball to half court and head coach Justin Heinzen put the ball in the hands of his playmaker, senior Kaitlin Phillips. Just like she had done all season long, Phillips drove hard into the lane and her layup right at the buzzer didn't fall, sending the game to overtime tied at 63.

Overtime
Reeling off their comeback effort in regulation, eighth-ranked St. Thomas put the pressure on Loras, thanks to 10 points from Katie Stone. The Tommies hit 3-of-5 shots from the floor and converted on 6-of-10 free throws, while the Duhawks missed on 5-of-6 attempts from the line. In the end, it was the free throw shooting that was the achilles' heal for Loras, finishing the game at a 48 percent conversion rate.

FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Megan Jones | The senior left everything she had on the court Friday night, finishing with a career-high 17 points. Through regulation, Jones was a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor, including 5-of-5 from distance.

SOUNDBITES | Kaitlin Phillips & Megan Jones

SOUNDBITES | Justin Heinzen