Junior Ashley Herring hit a game-tying three-point field goal to send the game into overtime, but the Lady Govs basketball team could not hold onto a six-point overtime lead and fell to Northwestern State, 86-84, in the Saturday, Nov. 28, consolation game of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament at Memorial Gymnasium.

APSU (1-5) scored eight of the first 10 points in the extra period and led 82-76 with 2:08 left, but right after building that lead, Herring fouled out with 1:53 remaining as Northwestern State converted a traditional three-point play to cut the lead in half. Senior Nicole Jamen would hit a jumper to push the lead back to five points with 1:18 to go, but it would be the last field goal APSU would hit.

Northwestern State (2-4) scored the game’s final seven points, but did not grab the lead until Brittany Houston was fouled on her driving layup and converted another three-point play with 18 seconds remaining. On the ensuing, and final possession, APSU saw a 15-foot jumper fall short and a put-back try under the rim go begging as the final horn sounded.

The Lady Govs needed late theatrics in the second half just to force the extra time. Entering the second frame with the score level at 36-36, APSU made the period’s first field goal and held the lead for the first three minutes of the second half. However, Northwestern State put together a 13-2 scoring burst to take a 55-44 lead with 13:07 remaining. Freshman Neika Smith would respond with a field goal followed by Herring’s three-point field goal to push the deficit back into single digits.

The Demons lead would grow no larger than nine points but would not fall below four points over the next eight minutes. It took APSU piecing together a 13-4 half-closing run that began with five minutes remaining to finally dent the lead. Four different APSU players scored during the burst, but it was Herring’s three-point basket with 22 seconds remaining tied the game, 74-74, to provide five additional minutes.

Herring, who was named to the all-tournament team, led APSU with her second consecutive 21-point outing, making 7-of-12 from the field, including 5-of-9 from three-point range. Jamen finished with an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double, and sophomore Jasmine Rayner added an 18-point, 17-rebound double-double performance as well.

APSU won the rebounding battle with an impressive 52-36 margin including 26 offensive rebounds. Houston led Northwestern State with 27 points while Jessica McPhail added 21 points. The Lady Demons won the game at the free-throw line where they made 22-of-28 (78.6 percent) while the Lady Govs shot a season-low 52 percent (13-of-25).

APSU returns to action when they open Ohio Valley Conference play with a 5:15 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 3, contest against Southeast Missouri and play Eastern Illinois Saturday, Dec. 5.

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