By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
KANSAS CITY - The Missouri Western women's basketball team led by six points at halftime and led by as many as 10 points in the second half, but a 7-0, third quarter run by No. 23 Lubbock Christian helped the Chaparrals take their first lead and eventually force overtime on Sunday night in the final game of the D2-CCA women's basketball Tip-off Classic.
The Griffons got down by four points, once in the fourth quarter and again in overtime, but Missouri Western (1-1) took the lead back with 2:03 left in overtime after a basket and one by junior Mary Fultz. The Griffons never lost the lead again and held on for a 101-96 win at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.
The Griffons had five players finish in double figures, led by junior Connie Clarke, who dumped in a career-high 34 points to go with 12 rebounds, five steals and four assists.
"You can't say enough about Connie Clarke," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "I mean, my goodness. She was trying to get me to take her out in overtime, and I was just like, 'There is just no way that you're coming out of the game.' I think she had gotten hit pretty hard in the stomach, and I was like, 'No, you're not coming out.'"
The 34 points by Clarke tie for the sixth most by a Griffon in a single game in program history. The 101 points scored are the sixth most in a game in program history, and the second most ever scored against a Division II opponent.
"We just stayed positive toward each other," Clarke said of her team's effort. "We kept communicating on defense, knowing we had somebody tough to guard. So, we just kept our composure."
Freshman Cleao Murray had a career-high 15 points on a career-high four made three-pointers. Junior Brionna Budgets scored 12 points, fellow junior Trinity Knapp scored 11 and sophomore Abby Bala dropped in 10. Bala made two free throws with eight seconds left in overtime to ultimately seal a Griffon victory.
"We have shooters, we have everybody," Clarke said of the team's depth. "We just have to put it all together as one."
Missouri Western also scored 36 points off the bench compared to 14 by Lubbock Christian.
"It's the next group's turn," Whitaker said, as her team has now begun a new season without the contributions of now former players and veterans Corbyn Cunningham, Jaelyn Haggard and Mychaell Gray.
"The kids who have been in our program who maybe haven't had as big of a role, it's their turn to step up and do that. Just really pleased that we played so hard and didn't fold when we could have when things weren't going our way, particularly in overtime."
The Chaparrals were led in scoring by sophomore Grace Foster, who logged a game-high 36 points. Lubbock Christian kept themselves in the game by getting to the free throw line often. The Chaparrals made 29-of-33 free throw attempts, but the Griffons were a solid 20-of-26 from the charity stripe themselves.
The game was back-and-forth throughout, especially late. The lead changed hands 12 times and was tied 11 times. Missouri Western held a lead for all but 24 seconds of the first half.
Missouri Western will stay on the road this coming weekend as they head to Sioux Falls to play the University of Sioux Falls on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Augustana on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Both games will be at the Stewart Center.
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