LEBANON, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Southern women's basketball played former TranSouth Athletic Conference rival Cumberland University on Tuesday.  The Firehawks fell short in double overtime 73-71.
Five Firehawks scratched the scorecard in double figures. Ashley Dickey led UTS with 17 points. Silkiari Vazquez-Troche added 12 points. Kassidy Broussard and Takiyah Goff each threw in 11. Daysha Reid contributed 10.
UTS took the early 6-1 lead shooting 6-18 from the field. Cumberland matched the Firehawks to the end of the period with UTS leading 13-8. In the second quarter, the Firehawks extended their lead to nine with three minutes to go. The Firehawks closed out the half outscoring the Phoenix 6-5 to lead 26-16. UTS shot 11-30 in the opening 20 minutes out shooting CU 37 to 20 percent.
UTS kept the hot shooting going in the third pushing the lead to 12 with five minutes left. A pair of Reid free throws ended the period with UTS leading 41-30. In the fourth, the home team outscored the Firehawks 18-6 to their first lead with 3:36 left. UTS took the lead back on a pair of Lauren Smith charity shots with two and a half left in regulation. With four seconds left, Broussard drained a long distance bomb giving UTS the 53-50 lead. After a CU timeout, the Phoenix answered to send it to over time.
In the first overtime, after three ties UTS took the 64-63 lead with 37 seconds left. After a Kassidy Broussard free throw with nine ticks left, CU would go for the win on a three, but a key offensive rebound and put back tied the game at 65. UTS would have an opportunity with led than a second on the clock but couldn't get the shot off.
In the final overtime period, UTS held a three point lead off a Broussard jumper with 1:24 left. A Phoenix triple with 49 seconds left tied the game at 71. UTS had a great look for the game winner, but the shot didn't find the nylon. The home team would hit a last second jumper to steal the win.

BY THE NUMBERS
30.8 – The Firehawks shot 24-78, 30.8 percent, from the field.
16 – UTS was out rebounded 59-43.
12 – UTS' largest lead occurred with five minutes left in the third at 35-23.
33 – The Firehawks forced 33 Phoenix turnovers.
31 – UT Southern took advantage of CU turnovers, scoring 31 points.


NEXT UP
The Firehawks will return to Southern States Athletic Conference Action on December 21^st, traveling to Marietta, Ga., to battle Life University. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m.


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