KEARNEY, Neb. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team battled back from its largest deficit of 14 and led by three at one point, but eventually fell to the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers, 72-67 in overtime inside the Health and Sports Center Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lions (1-7, 0-2) finished with two players recording their second double-doubles of the season. Senior forward Jenson Maydew picked up a career-high 22 points (5-for-9 3FG) to go along with 11 rebounds, while junior forward Desirea Buerge added 18 points and 10 rebounds. Both combined for a 17-for-35 clip from the field.
 
Junior guard Chelsey Henry added 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Julianna Wadsworth registered a season-high three steals in the loss.
 
UNK (8-0, 2-0) was led by Michaela Barry with 21 points. Teammates Alyssa Frauendorfe and McKenzie Brown added 14 and 10 points respectively in the victory.
 
MSSU led 13-12 early on in the first period, but a 23-10 run from the Lopers gave UNK a 12-point lead going in the half (35-23) despite the Lions limiting UNK to zero made shots from beyond the arc (0-for-7).
 
To begin the third period, both teams traded basket for basket leading the Lopers to their largest advantage of the game (39-25) at the 8:54 mark of the third period. Southern came back with a 14-8 run and entered the fourth quarter down by only six (51-45).
 
The Lions' momentum would transfer over as they rattled off a 10-2 run and took a two-point lead (55-53) with 6:10 second left to go in regulation. Kearney took back the lead up by two as 31 seconds were left (64-62) and the Lions calling a timeout.
 
Seconds began to tick off and a play was in motion where senior guard Jasmine Green came around off a pick down the left side of the lane for the game-tying layup to force a five-minute overtime period; first of the year for the Lions. Three minutes went by without either team scoring a bucket until the Lopers converted at the 2:28 mark and finished the game on an 8-3 run for the win.
 
The Lions return to the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center for their MIAA home opener against Lincoln on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 pm to begin a six-game home stand carrying over to the new year.