DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
USF
USF Tops No. 21/21 DePaul in Overtime
1/17/2012 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Jan. 17, 2012
Box Score: USF 66, DePaul 63 OT 
Postgame Notes
TAMPA - Anna Martin led No. 21/21 DePaul with 23 points, but USF outlasted the Blue Demons, 66-63 in overtime on Tuesday at the USF Recreation Center.
The Blue Demons (15-4, 3-2 BIG EAST) led 60-56 with 1:41 to play in regulation after a pair of made free throws by Martin. USF's Kaneisha Saunder answered on the other end with a jumper which pulled the Bulls within two with 1:23 on the clock.
On DePaul's next trip, Martin's jumper rattled out, but the junior grabbed her miss fire for another opportunity in the final minute. Megan Rogowski, who had made three triples in game, tossed up a 3-pointer, and it rebounded back into her hands with 46 seconds left. As the shot clock wound down, Martin's shot was blocked which gave USF the ball with 29 seconds to play.
USF (11-8, 3-2 BIG EAST) called its final timeout and Akila McDonald's layup with nine seconds on the clock floated in which tied the game at 60.
Martin went coast-to-coast but was pick-pocketed and in a scrum on the floor, USF's Inga Orekohova was fouled with 1.1 seconds remaining.
Orekhova had a chance to seal the game, but missed the front end of a one-and-one which sent the game into overtime.
In OT, USF scored on its first three trips and took a 66-60 advantage on a layup with 1:34 to play.
With the Blue Demons' shooting well from 3-point range all game, Martin hit a triple with 49 seconds remaining which gave DePaul a new life. However, time ran out on DePaul's comeback and the Blue Demons fell in its first OT game of the season.
The first half was a track meet with both teams running the floor at full speed with the only thing slowing the Blue Demons and Bulls were 3-pointers. The two teams combined for nine triples with the Blue Demons going 6-for-17 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes.
The game started with four straight 3-pointers. Orekhova started with a triple for the Bulls before Deanna Ortiz knocked down a pair on back-to-back trips and Martin added one to give DePaul a 9-3 lead with just under 17:00 to play in the first half.
The Blue Demons took their largest lead of the half, 23-16 on Brittany Hrynko's triple. DePaul saw its lead shrink to 23-22 (8:06) which forced head coach Doug Bruno to call a timeout.
Out of the break, the Blue Demons went back to where they are comfortable - behind the arc with a Martin 3-pointer. Ortiz found Jasmine Penny under the basket to give the Blue Demons a little breathing room, 28-22 (4:23).
A triple by Tiffany Conner, once again pulled the Bulls within one, 28-27 (1:41) but the Blue Demons answered when Ortiz, who finished with a career-high six assists, again found the open player. This time, it was Katherine Harry under the basket for a 30-28 lead heading into the locker room at the half.
Rogowski was the only other Blue Demon in double figures as the freshman finished with 11 points and was 3-of-8 from behind the arc.
DePaul outrebounded USF 44-38 behind double-digit rebound performances from Jasmine Penny (12) and Katherine Harry (10).
Jasmine Wynne and Saunders each tallied 16 points in the win for USF.
The Blue Demons return to action at 7 p.m. on Jan. 21 in Lincoln Park. DePaul puts its 28-game McGrath-Phillips winning streak on the line when No. 3/3 Connecticut comes to town for a sold-out contest.
Notes: DePaul is now 10-18 all-time in overtime games... first OT game since the 2009-10 season... second consecutive game DePaul has finished with 10+ three-pointers and the seventh time this season... DePaul has had a 3-pointer in 78 consecutive games... Anna Martin led all scorers with 23 points... second consecutive and ninth 20+ point performance of the season... DePaul outrebounded USF 44-38 behind double-digit rebound performances from Jasmine Penny and Katherine Harry... Penny's 12 rebounds were a career-high and her first double-figure rebounding performance of her career... Harry finished with 10 for her eighth double-digit rebounding game of the season... Megan Rogowski finished in double-figures for the second consecutive game... she scored 11 points and was 3-of-8 from 3-point range... Rogowski has hit three or more 3-pointers in eight games and in DePaul's last three... third overtime game of the season for USF... is 2-1 in OT games this season... first OT game on its home court this season... USF forced 23 Blue Demon turnovers... Jasmine Wynne scored 16 points and has reached double-figures in her last 15 games... DePaul still leads the all-time series 12-7... the USF win snapped a two-game series winning streak for DePaul... DePaul is 6-4 in games played in Tampa and is now 0-2 in those games that went to OT.
