SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - GAME INFORMATION
Final Score: Missouri State 91, Loyola 81 (OT)
Records: Missouri State (16-8, 9-3 MVC); Loyola (12-11, 8-4 MVC)
Location: JQH Arena -- Springfield, Mo.
Stats: Box Score | Season Stats

In Short...
Liza Fruendt connected on a game-tying three with only six seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime as Missouri State came from behind to down Loyola this evening, 91-81, at the JQH Arena in Springfield, Mo. The Lady Bears now sit at 16-8 overall (9-3 Missouri Valley) with the win, while Loyola falls to 12-11 (8-4 Missouri Valley).

How It Happened
Taylor Manuel got the Ramblers off and rolling with a bucket at the 8:47 mark of the first quarter to make it 2-0. The Maroon & Gold used a 7-0 run that was capped off by a Nieka Wheeler score to build a six-point edge, 11-5, with 4:33 to go. Missouri State answered back with the frame's final 11 points to take a 16-11 lead after one.

Loyola opened the second quarter with a 6-0 run of its own, regaining the lead, 17-16, on two Wheeler makes from the charity stripe. Things remained tight as time progressed, with neither team able to build greater than a two-point lead until two Manuel free throws made it a three-point game, 27-24, at the 2:01 mark. Grace Goodhart connected on a pair from the line shortly after to send Loyola into the locker room with a 29-24 advantage.

The Ramblers continued to hang on to the lead early on in the third quarter as they seemingly had an answer for every Lady Bear push. A deep three by Kenzie Williams inched Missouri State in front, 39-38, with 3:02 to play. Another Williams score pushed the margin to three, 44-41, prior to an old-fashioned three-point play by Tyonna Snow made it 47-41 at the end of the third.

Back-to-back threes from Goodhart brought Loyola level, 51-51, with three minutes gone in the fourth quarter. Taylor Manuel converted on a three-point play of her own just over 90 seconds later to edge the Ramblers back in front, 54-51. Snow evened things up at 66 all with 1:02 remaining but Wheeler answered back with a layup on Loyola's next possession to reestablish a two-point lead, 68-66. Wheeler would come up with a pair of clutch makes at the line to stretch the advantage out to three, 70-67, with six seconds left before Fruendt connected on the game-tying triple to force an extra session.

Feeding off of an energized home crowd, the Lady Bears scored the first six points of overtime to build a 76-70 lead with four minutes to go. Wheeler would knock down a mid-range jumper to pull the Ramblers to within four, 76-72, but that proved to be as close as Loyola would get for the remainder of the night as the Lady Bears were able to ice the game from the charity stripe down the stretch.

Inside The Box Score
- Tonight's loss was Loyola's first in three overtime games this season.
- Manuel led the way for the Ramblers on the night with a team-high 27 points to go along with five rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
- Wheeler notched her second double-double of the season, tying her career-high with 20 points while collecting a career-best 12 rebounds.
- Goodhart rounded out the Rambler trio to score in double figures with a season-high 17 points, highlighted by three makes from beyond the three-point arc and a perfect six-of-six mark from the free throw line.
- Tyonna Snow led all scorers on the night with a career-high 41 points, marking the first time an opposing player has broken the 40-point mark against the Ramblers since Milwaukee's Traci Edwards poured in 45 points back on Feb. 21, 2008.

Up Next
Loyola will look to bounce back on Sunday afternoon when it takes on Wichita State. Tip-off from Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan. is scheduled for 2 p.m.