WBB Wins Overtime Thriller vs Middle Tennessee

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. — The Marquette women's basketball team (4-1, 0-0 BIG EAST) overcame a double-digit second half deficit to defeat Middle Tennessee (4-1) in overtime 59-55 Friday afternoon. This was the first of two contests at the Daytona Beach Invitational for MU.

"I'm really proud of our team. We had a rough first half, we were kind of out of whack on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively," said Marquette head coach Megan Duffy. "We came out in the third quarter and made a run to make it close, then our veteran leadership took over in Karissa McLaughlin and Lauren Van Kleunen."

Down by 11 at the 3:30 mark of the third quarter, the Golden Eagles then used a 14-2 rally over the next 4:54 to regain control at 33-32. With 18 seconds remaining in regulation and trailing by two points, junior guard Jordan King hit a 13-foot jump shot to even the contest at 46-46. MU then earned a defensive stop, forcing a MTSU miss at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

MU scored the first four points of the overtime period, which were countered by back-to-back Lady Raider 3-pointers. With the game tied at 52-52 with 55 seconds remaining in overtime, sophomore forward Liza Karlen found the bottom of the net on a long jump from the top of the key to put MU back on top. After forcing a defensive stop, MU then went 5-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to secure the victory.

Graduate forward Lauren Van Kleunen earned her second career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 13 rebound effort. In the scoring column, it was King leading the way for MU for the second consecutive game as she finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor. Additionally, she recorded seven rebounds and four assists.

MTSU was paced by Dor Saar and Kseniya Malashka, who each finished with 16 points.

This was MU's first overtime contest under Coach Duffy, and its first since the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament, a 58-54 win over Rice.
The Golden Eagles opened the game on a 6-0 run, holding the Lady Raiders to just two points in the first five minutes of action.
MU was held to just five points on 1-of-14 shooting from the field in the second quarter, and trailed at the half, 23-17
After their second quarter shooting struggles, Marquette shot 57.1 percent (16-of-28) through the remainder of the game.
After trailing by as much as 11 (3:30-3rd), MU used a 14-2 run to regain control.
Jordan King scored eight of the team's first 10 points, finishing with 16 on the game. This was her second consecutive game leading MU's scoring efforts after also going for 16 at Colorado.
Lauren Van Kleunen earned the second double-double of her career (14 points, 13 rebounds). Her 13 rebounds is also a career high.
Karissa McLaughlin played 39 of 45 minutes for Marquette, totalling 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Kennedi Myles made her first start in a Marquette uniform, and the 53rd of her career.
Marquette won the rebounding battle, 49-37. They have outrebounded opponents in each of their five games this season.

UP NEXT: Marquette will face Georgia (4-0, 0-0 SEC) tomorrow in its final game of the Daytona Beach Invitational at 1:15 p.m. (CT). The Bulldogs will first face Notre Dame this afternoon in Daytona. The contest will be streamed on FloHoops.

Keep up with the Marquette women's basketball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteWBB) and Instagram (@marquettewbb) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteWBB).