WINONA, Minn. – It took four overtime periods to decide a winner in Friday night's NSIC matchup between Winona State and (RV) Minnesota State Moorhead. In the end, the Dragons battled back from a 13-point second half deficit to outlast the Warriors, 101-97.
A season-high crowd of over 1,100 fans got their money's worth as the contest in McCown Gymnasium is the longest game on record in conference history. There is a pair of triple overtime games in recent history in NSIC in history.
Sophomore Gabie Doud had a career night for Winona State, scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for her first ever double-double.
The Huxley, Iowa native was a perfect 5-for-5 in the first quarter for a total of 12 points. The Warriors fell behind the Dragons early in the first, but Doud caught fire and knocked down back-to-back shots to turn a 9-6 Dragon lead into an 11-9 Warrior lead, which Winona State held for the remainder of the quarter.
As the second quarter opened, the Warriors began to distance themselves from MSUM when Kayla Schaefer completed a three-point play and the Warriors went on a 9-0 run to build their largest lead of the game at 13 points. WSU would take a 37-24 lead into the locker room at the break while shooting 51 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc.
Winona State held a six-point lead going into what was though to be the final 10 minutes of the basketball game. MSU-Moorhead took the lead for the first time since the first quarter as Kourtney Selensky sunk two free throws to put the Dragon's up by one, 58-57, with under two minutes left in regulation.
The next two Warrior possessions, Emily Kieck drove the lane to put Winona State back up by three points with 59 ticks left on the clock. The ensuing Dragon possession, Hannah McGlone would commit her fifth foul of the game to give MSUM the chance to cut the lead back to one. MSUM's Jackie Volkert would make both free throws and on the next possession the Dragons would take the lead. Kieck would get fouled with five ticks on the clock and the chance to win the game for the Warriors. She made one-of-two at the line and the teams went into overtime tied at 62-apiece.
In the first OT, Winona State built a three-point lead and thought they had sealed the deal until the Volkert sunk a three-pointer for the Dragons with 18 seconds to go and forced the second extra period.
The second overtime saw the lead change seven times. The momentum seemed to have shifted to Winona State in the final minute of this frame as Liz Evenocheck completed the rare four-point play to put the Warriors up one with 47 seconds remaining. However, the Dragons got back to the charity stipe and hit one attempt to force another overtime.
In the third OT, Doud attempted to will the Warriors to victory building them a four-point lead, but MSUM fought back knocking down another three-pointer with five seconds left to tie the game at 89 and send it into a fourth overtime.
The fourth overtime period would prove to be the final period as the Dragons were able to knock down 7-of-10 shots and the Warrior offense finally ran out of gas with a pair of players fouled out of the game.
Doud along with four other warriors eclipsed double figures tonight. Pickrain finished with 17, McGlone with 16, Schaefer with 14, and Julia Silloway scored a career-high 10 points.
The Warriors will have a quick turnover as they host Northern State at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
