Glendale, AZ. – The #13 Lady Firestorm were down eighteen points after the first quarter and by as many as twenty-one in the second quarter before storming back to force the first of two overtimes, and in the end defeating GSAC rivals The Master's University 89-86.  The team was led in scoring by Alyssa Alvarez who led all scorers with 28 points.  Not far behind her was Halle Payne with 25 points, and Emily Till had another huge rebounding game pulling down 19 rebounds, and also having 5 critical blocked shots down the stretch 
 
The game started well enough when Alvarez hit a three while being fouled for a four-point play, and an early 4-0 lead.  But then, the Mustangs would close out the quarter on a 22-0 run, and the Firestorm looking for answers.  One answer was Payne who found her shooting touch in the second quarter to the tune of eight points, and it was her eighth point which brought the Firestorm within sixteen points halfway through the period.  The second half of the quarter belonged to Taylor Schwab who came off the bench to also score eight points in the period, and it was her jump shot with a minute remaining that pulled the Firestorm within ten points before Alvarez hit two free throws make the deficit just eight points going into half time.
 
The Lady Firestorm continued to battle after the intermission.  Twice in the third quarter they were able to make it a one possession game, but every time that happened, the Mustangs would have an answer, so that by the end of the period, for all their efforts, the Firestorm was only point closer at 51-44.  In the fourth, Alvarez hit a jumper with 7:00 to play to complete the comeback.  From that point on, neither team led by more than three points the rest of the way.  The Firestorm, in fact, had a two-point lead with 24 seconds left, and the ball in their possession.  But on that possession, the Mustangs were able to force a turner which ultimately led to a layup for the Mustangs which forced overtime.
 
In the first overtime, the Firestorm got off to a fast start and built a five-point lead with 2:24 remaining in the game.  The stubborn Mustangs though refused to go away and would score the next five points to pull even at 75-75.  On the ensuing possession, Payne would score a layup while being fouled to put the team up by three points.  But then, after getting a stop on the other end, for the second straight period the Firestorm managed to turn the ball over with thirteen seconds remaining to give the Mustangs life.  The Mustangs accepted their gift and hit a three-pointer sending the game into its second overtime.
 
The second overtime was no less dramatic.  With six seconds remaining and the opportunity to put the game away, Lauren Gunn made the first of two free throws to put the team up by three.  She then missed the second, but nearly tipped in her own miss before the Mustangs grabbed the rebound and raced up the floor for one last shot.  Mustangs' sharpshooter Nicole Chuang, who had hit five three pointers in the game, got a clean look, but while her shot went half way down the basket, it then rimmed out, ending the marathon basketball game.
 
Thoughts from Head Coach Rusty Rogers
"Easily one of the most thrilling games I have ever been associated with in my 41 years of coaching!  To get the deficit down to eight points in the last eight minutes of the quarter was remarkable in and of itself.  To win in two overtimes absolutely show the tenacity and never quite attitude of this team – especially when you consider the excellent opponent we had today."
 
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