CANYON, Texas – The Angelo State women's basketball team had to wait a longer than normal, three overtimes to be exact, to win in Canyon for the first time in 11 years. A bucket in the paint by Diamalises Rivera with eight seconds left secured the Belles 112-111 triple overtime victory over No. 6 West Texas A&M on Wednesday night.
The Belles (14-5, 7-2 LSC) move into a half game of first place in the Lone Star Conference with the win and sweep the regular season series with No. 6 West Texas A&M (19-2, 8-2 LSC) for the first time since the 2004-2005 season. The triple overtime game is also the longest game in Belle basketball history. ASU scored the second most points in school history and the 223 combined points are the most between the two schools in the series.
Angelo State shot an outstanding 90.9-percent (20-of-22) from the free throw line and made 46.5-percent from the field. The 12 three pointers are a season high and five different players scored in double figures for the Belles. ASU was able to score 20 points off 18 WT turnovers and scored 30 second chance points off 19 offensive rebounds. The 24 assists ties a season high for the Belles.
 "I have never seen a game like that or seen a game like that before," Angelo State head women's basketball coach Kevin Baker said. "I have never seen anything like that. It was a remarkable college basketball game. People won't like it but you don't want either team to lose it. Both teams fought to the bitter end and both teams deserved to win. We were down every single time in overtime but we battled. It was nice to do this and get this win here. I don't know if I have ever been more proud of the resilience of a group of young ladies in my 22 years of coaching."
Brea Mitchell led all scorers with 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting and 6-of-11 from behind the arc. The six 3-pointers are a career high for the senior. Jasmine Prophet recorded her first double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. KeAnna Kelly and Taylor Dorsey each added 17 points while Rivera, who went scoreless in regulation, chipped in 11 points off the bench. Kiahna Thompson and Christina Robinson each scored nine points with Thompson draining a big three pointer in the third overtime.
The two teams moved into triple overtime for the first time in both programs history. ASU had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation until Madison McClain hit a three to force overtime. The Lady Buffs had opportunities to win in the first and second overtime but the Belles answered with a last second shot in each.
WT started the third OT by building a five point lead at 107-102 on a Michaela Neuhaus three with 2:08 left. Mitchell once again found an answer for ASU with her sixth 3-pointer of the night to trim the deficit to 107-105. Dorsey got a steal and drove to the basket for a layup to tie the game for the 19th time in the game. WT took back the lead on a McClain jumper but Thompson this time hit a dagger for ASU from behind the arc to give ASU a 110-109 advantage with 32 second left to play. Madison Wild was fouled on the next play and hit two free throws to push WT in front by 111-110. The Belles had one more answer. Rivera got the ball down low pivoted and got a layup off the glass to regain a 112-11 advantage. WT missed a layup as time expired to end the marathon game.
A pair of free throws by Kelly puts ASU up 71-68 with 30 seconds left in regulation. West Texas A&M came down and got a three point shot off but it was off the mark. The Lady Buffs secured the rebound and McClain stepped back and hit a three pointer to tie the game at 71 to force overtime.
WT started the first overtime on an 8-2 run and looked to be pulling away at 81-73 with 2:56 to go. The deficit didn't stop the Belles as Thompson hit a three to spark a 9-1 run. Thompson capped off the run by slicing down the lane and tying the game with a jumper in the lane. With 24 seconds left, WT drew up a play that found Zantaya Davis open for a jumper off the glass and just three second on the clock. Mitchell missed a 3-pointer but an alert Dorsey grabbed the rebound and laid in the ball as the buzzer sounded to send the game to double overtime.
The second overtime was a close one as neither team led by more than three points. Angelo State was forced to play without Prophet or Kelly after both fouled out in the first overtime and had to answer as WT took the lead four different times during the second overtime. Each time the Belles were able to find a shot and even took a brief 91-90 advantage with 1:50 to play. Two WT free throws were followed by a jumper from Sasha Watson to make the ASU deficit 94-91. Mitchell this time didn't miss a 3-pointer and hit one of her six to tie it at 94. WT missed a chance to win it on a jumper from Watson to move into the third OT.
The Belles, who trailed 34-23 at halftime, stormed back to take a 48-47 advantage at the end of the third. ASU outscored West Texas A&M 25-13 in the third quarter alone as Mitchell found her shooting touch after being held to just two points in the first half. She scored 11 points in the third quarter including 3-of-3 from the three point line. ASU pushed its lead to five at 53-48 with a Prophet layup with under nine minutes to play in regulation. A 10-0 WT run turned the tables as ASU found itself down 58-53. Prophet and Mitchell closed the gap with two free throws each and Mitchell took a pass from Robinson and stroked a three points to put ASU up 60-58 with 4:30 left. The two teams would trade leads five times over the final 4:03 until Kelly's free throws with nine seconds left.
ASU and WT were tied after the first quarter at 16. The Belles struggled in the second quarter being held to just seven points. WT built its halftime lead by hitting 36.8-percent from the floor and 75.0-percent from behind the arc.
Neuhas and Watson led the way for West Texas A&M with 23 points each.
The Belles will return home this Saturday, Feb. 6 to host ENMU at 2 p.m. at Stephens Arena in the Junell Center. Â
