Lakers beat Seawolves in overtime thriller

ORLANDO, Fla. - It's the "Year of a Million Dreams" at Walt Disney World, and a few came true for the Lake Superior State women's basketball team, which beat Alaska-Anchorage 70-65 in overtime Sunday for its third straight come-from-behind victory at the Disney Division II Tip-Off East Coast Classic.

Senior centers Jackie Armstrong and Alyssa VanderWal both posted double doubles in points and rebounds to lead six Lakers in double figures against the highly-touted Seawolves (2-1), who finished 30-5 last season and went into this season ranked fifth in the DII Bulletin Pre-Season National Poll. The Lakers handed Alaska-Anchorage coach Tim Moser just his second regular-season non-conference loss in three years.

LSSU (3-0) trailed by as many as eight points in the first half, but rallied right back on back-to-back three-pointers by Jill Walton and a layup by VanderWal. Walton also scored at the buzzer to give the Lakers a 34-31 halftime lead.

Alaska-Anchorage built an 11-point lead, 49-38, with 12:54 remaining in the second half. LSSU answered with an eight-point run that included a three-pointer and field goal by Nicole Marshall, a layup by Shelle Rochon and a free throw by Armstrong.

The Seawolves regained a seven-point lead with 3:55 remaining in the game. Emily Joseph cut the deficit to three with a layup at 2:42 followed by two free throws at 2:07. Nicci Miller made a three-pointer with 1:01 to go for a 62-56 Alaska-Anchorage advantage. Armstrong scored off her own rebound, and Ronlea Peterson converted a four-point play during the final 40 seconds, leaving the teams deadlocked at 62-62.

Armstrong made two free throws with 3:33 remaining in overtime to tie it, 64-64. Neither team scored again until Joseph made a field goal with 36 seconds left. Peterson was 4-for-4 at the line as the Seawolves were forced to foul down the stretch.

Peterson totaled 14 points and eight rebounds and was 8-of-9 at the free-throw line. Armstrong added 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Joseph had 11 points. VanderWal, Marshall and Walton scored 10 points each. WanderWal also had 11 rebounds to reach double figures in rebounds during all three games at the Disney Classic.

LSSU was 20-of-27 at the free-throw line and out-rebounded Alaska-Anchorage, 56-42. The Lakers shot only 28 percent from the field.

Alaska-Anchorage shot 41 percent from the field, but was 12-of-20 at the free-throw line.

The Lakers, who also trailed by as many as nine points before beating Bentley on Friday and were down by 10 points in their victory over Columbus State on Saturday, are off until the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference vs. the Great Lakes Valley Conference Challenge at Lake Superior State on Nov. 15-16.

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