Box Score PUEBLO, Colo. (January 16, 2016)– It took an extra five minutes, but the Colorado State University-Pueblo women's basketball team stung the Black Hills State University Yellow Jackets 65-64 in overtime. With the win the Pack now stand at 14-3 (9-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) while the Yellow Jackets fell to 12-3 (9-2 RMAC).
Ashley Piper (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa) attacked the glass with a career-best 16 rebounds. Piper also chipped in 10 points for her first double-double of the season. The senior also posted a career-high three blocks.
Maddie Beagley (Jr., Russell, Kan.) scored four of the Pack's six points in overtime. She finished 2-of-2 from the field and made both of her free-throw attempts. Beagley also took a late charge that helped the Pack seal the win.
CSU-Pueblo won the rebounding battle 52-40. The ThunderWolves are 14-0 when scoring 60 or more points.
Dee Arrieta (Sr., Pueblo West, Colo.) drained a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter to help the Pack keep pace with Black Hills State early. After trailing for much of the opening period, Mariana Lambert (Sr., Jundiai, Brazil) knocked down a 3-pointer that gave the Pack a 16-15 lead. However Black Hills State answered with a triple of its own to carry an 18-16 advantage after 10 minutes.
In the second quarter the Pack held the Yellow Jackets without a field goal for the first five minutes of the frame. A 7-1 run during that span helped the Pack out to a 23-19 lead.
Leading the RMAC in blocks entering the weekend, Molly Rohrer (Fr., Greenwood Village, Colo.) swatted a pair of shots on the same play. Despite Rohrer's defensive presence, Black Hills State would answer and tie the game at 27.
After Black Hills State tied it up, Jaszymn Johnson (Sr., Denver, Colo.) answered with a pair of buckets that put the Pack up 31-27. Johnson scored eight points in the second quarter alone, making 5-of-7 from the field in the first half. She finished with 13 points.
A 6-0 run early in third quarter extended the Pack's lead to nine, 41-32. Threes from Johnson and Lambert keyed the run for the Pack. However, the Yellow Jackets responded with an 11-4 run over the final 4:52 of the third to trim the Pack's lead to 45-43 after three.
The Pack went almost four minutes without a field goal to start the fourth. That dry spell allowed Black Hills State to take a 50-47 lead. CSU-Pueblo answered with an 8-4 run that gave the Pack a 55-54 lead with 3:15 left.
The two teams traded free throws down the stretch and ended up tied at 59 with 2.1 seconds on the clock. CSU-Pueblo had one final chance at the win in regulation but Piper's three from deep could not hit the mark and sent the game into overtime.
Black Hills State claimed the lead with the first three points of the extra period. However, the Pack would answer and close the gap 62-61.
That's when Beagley took over. Beagley scored four consecutive points for the Pack to give the Pack a 65-64 lead. With 20.7 second on the clock and the Yellow Jackets driving to go ahead, Beagley took a charge that gave the Pack the ball back.
However, a Pack turnover gave the Yellow Jackets another chance. They tried a final layup attempt but could not overcome Beagley, Piper and the rest of the Pack defense. The Pack pulled off the 65-64 win.
The Pack will embark on a four-game road trip as they visit Colorado Mines Friday Jan. 22 and Colorado Christian Saturday Jan. 23. CSU-Pueblo's clash with Colorado Mines will tip at 6 p.m.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
