Senior guard Rebecca Cardenas tied a career-high of 30 points to lead Southern Utah University women’s basketball past the Northern Colorado Bears 68-55 in overtime.
Cardenas scored 30 points for the second time this season, adding six steals and a career-high nine rebounds in 40 minutes of action.
Q3 | SHE’S ON ONE TONIGHT pic.twitter.com/17j0wslPTt
— SUU W. Basketball 🏀 (@SUUWBasketball) February 7, 2020
After trailing by one at the end of the first quarter, Cardenas scored 11 of the T-Birds 13 second quarter points. Freshman Madelyn Eaton scored the final points of the quarter, putting her team up 25-24 at halftime.
The teams traded points in the third quarter before the Bears took a 53-50 lead off of two free throws from junior guard Alexis Chapman.
Q3 | Hey UNC, you left your backdoor open 👀 pic.twitter.com/Vl8t9kOpdW
— SUU W. Basketball 🏀 (@SUUWBasketball) February 7, 2020
Thunderbird head coach Tracy Sanders turned to Cardenas once again. Sophomore guard Claudia Armato found Cardenas, who hit the game-tying three-point shot with 19 seconds left in the regulation. The T-Birds then forced a miss on the defensive end, sending the game into overtime.
Six different players scored in overtime for the T-Birds while only allowing the Bears to score two points in the extra period.
OT | YESSSS BABYYYYYY. LETS GO. pic.twitter.com/MGOpAbLjo4
— SUU W. Basketball 🏀 (@SUUWBasketball) February 7, 2020
Armato saw action for the first time since Jan. 9 against Idaho State, recording four points and five assists off the bench in her return from injury. Freshman Shalyn Fano was the only other T-Bird to score in double figures as she scored 10 points and pulled down five rebounds.
Senior center Ali Meyer starred for the Bears, recording a double-double off of 21 points and 15 rebounds. The Bears also failed to hit a three-point shot in the game, going 0-16.
The T-Birds move to 11-9 overall on the season and 5-6 in conference play. The team will travel to Portland, Oregon to take on the Portland State Vikings at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Feb. 8.
Story by: Kurt Meacham
kurtleymeacham@gmail.com
Photo by: SUU Athletics
