OREM, Utah – Three Sam Houston Bearkats finished in double figures, but the Kats could not capitalize in the final minute of overtime in a 73-69 loss against Utah Valley at UCCU Center on Thursday.
Raanee Smith led the Kats (5-6) with her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Diana Rosenthal was close behind with 11 points and Shanti Henry added 10, including a key pair of free throws in the final minute of regulation to help push the game to an extra five minutes.
Kassidy Dixon equaled Smith led the team with 11 rebounds and Kaylee Jefferson grabbed 10. Both Dixon and Jefferson were just a point shy of double-doubles of their own with each scoring nine points apiece.
Neither team was able to build much of a lead at any point of the game with the Kats' six-point lead late in the first half being the largest for either team.
The Kats made things tough on the Wolverines (5-6) by forcing 27 turnovers; however, Sam Houston turned it over 26 times itself and shot just 4-for-21 from beyond the 3-point arc. They made up for much of that with success at the free throw line, hitting 33 of 40 tries. The 33 made freebies were the most by the Kats this season.
It was Henry's two makes from the charity stripe with 21 seconds to play in regulation that snapped a 63-63 tie, but UVU's Ally Criddle worked her way to the line on the next possession and canned both of her tries to force overtime. The homesteading Wolverines then built up a three-point lead late in the extra period before a triple from Sydnee Kemp knotted things at 69-69 with just 52 seconds to play.
Unfortunately, the Kats could not get the stop when they needed it as UVU's Tessa Chaney put the Wolverines back in front with a layup on the ensuing possession. The Kats did not have an answer on the next time down the floor as UVU held on at the foul line.
The Bearkats will now head back to Texas and observe the Christmas break before getting back to action on Dec. 30 at home when it faces UTRGV 2 p.m. in a game to be aired on ESPN+.
