Erica Keeney hit a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left in overtime to lift the Houston Lady Tigers past Licking 61-58 Saturday night.
Licking’s Katie Cook hit a 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining in regulation to force the extra period.
Houston (2-2) trailed by two when Danielle Pounds made two free throws with 1:08 left, and Keeney put the Lady Tigers in front with a pair with 23 seconds left. Sophomore Elizabeth Hayes made the second of two free throws with 7.9 seconds to go, and Licking missed a desperation 3-pointer.
Houston was 9-for-10 from the foul line in overtime to account for all of its points.
Keeney scored 12 of her team-high 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Pounds added 14 points and Tory Burgess had 11 for the Lady Tigers (2-2).
Shelby Ellison led Licking with 29 points. Cook scored 16.
Licking missed 18 of its 31 free throws. Houston was 24-for-37 at the line.
An early 14-0 run gave the Lady Tigers a 16-7 advantage, but Licking tied it at 20-all at the half and went in front by six in the third quarter. Burgess trimmed the advantage to three when she banked in a halfcourt heave at the buzzer.
The Lady Tigers led 52-48 when Keeney made two free throws with 24 seconds left in regulation. Ellison made on free throw with 14 seconds left to pull Licking within three, and Cook’s triple from the top of the key forced overtime.
Box score
Licking 7 13 15 17 6 – 58
Houston 11 9 12 20 9 – 61
LICKING – KCook 7 1-5 16. Cook 0 0-1 0. Smith 3 4-12 10. Ellison 11 5-7 29. Coverdell 0 3-6 3. Totals 21 13-31 58.
HOUSTON (2-2) – Moore 0 2-2 2. Pounds 3 7-8 14. Burgess 3 2-4 11. Honig 3 0-0 6. Adey 1 0-0 2. Herndon 1 0-0 3. Keeney 5 12-21 22. Hayes 0 1-2 1. Totals 16 24-37 61.
3-pointers: Licking 3 (Ellison 2, Cook); Houston 5 (Burgess 3, Pounds, Herndon).