MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 3 seed and nationally ranked No. 24 UT Southern women's basketball team survived a double-overtime thriller Thursday morning, defeating No. 6 seed Blue Mountain Christian 75-72 in the SSAC Championship Quarterfinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
UT Southern (21-5) came out with purpose, setting the tone from the opening tip. Lauren Smith scored on a putback to open the contest before Ramie Reid finished a fastbreak layup off an assist from Silkiari Vazquez-Troche to push the lead to 4-0. Moments later, Smith scored again inside, and Ashley Dickey converted a steal into a layup as the Firehawks raced out to a 12-0 advantage.
Vazquez-Troche capped the early surge with a layup in the paint, giving UT Southern a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The Firehawks closed the frame on a strong note as Mycala Carney buried a three-pointer and Vazquez-Troche scored at the buzzer to send UT Southern into the second quarter with a 21-10 edge.
In the second quarter, the Firehawks continued to attack the paint. Reid scored twice inside, and Vazquez-Troche knocked down a pair of free throws to extend the margin. Smith added another layup off a Vazquez-Troche assist, and Vazquez-Troche scored again in the closing minutes to give UT Southern its largest lead of the game at 35-17 at the half.
Blue Mountain Christian responded after halftime, trimming into the deficit during the third quarter. Dickey answered with a three-pointer, and Reid added another layup inside to keep UT Southern in front. Dickey's late layup pushed the Firehawks ahead 44-35 entering the fourth.
The fourth quarter turned into a battle. Reid and Vazquez-Troche each scored in the paint to maintain the advantage, and Dickey converted clutch free throws in the final minute to give UT Southern a brief lead. Blue Mountain Christian tied the game at 54-54 with 26 seconds left, and Vazquez-Troche's final attempt in regulation was blocked, sending the contest to overtime.
In the first overtime, the Firehawks trailed by four before Vazquez-Troche calmly stepped to the line and knocked down two free throws. Later, she finished a layup in the paint off a feed from Marypaz Martinez to tie the game at 59-59. Neither team could pull away, forcing a second overtime.
In the second extra period, Vazquez-Troche took over. She scored eight points in the frame, including six free throws, to help seal the victory. Reid delivered a huge trifecta from beyond the arc, and Smith connected on a three-pointer as UT Southern outscored Blue Mountain Christian 16-13 in the final five minutes to secure the 75-72 win.
Vazquez-Troche finished with a near triple-double, tallying 24 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists, and six steals. Reid added 18 points and five rebounds, while Dickey recorded 15 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Smith contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double, and Carney chipped in five points off the bench.
UT Southern will advance to face the winner of No. 2 seed Faulkner and No. 10 seed Abraham Baldwin Agricultural on Friday, February 27 at 1 p.m. in the SSAC Championship Semifinals.
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