Coker Falls in 2OT Heartbreaker to LMU

HARTSVILLE, S.C.- Coker women's basketball dropped a thrilling double overtime contest to visiting Lincoln Memorial on Saturday (Jan. 23) by a score of 77-70.

Four of Coker's starters notched double figures in the scoring department, including Jazz Green's 17 points and 13 rebounds. Kendra Lambert also tallied a game-high 17, while Morgan Williams totaled 12 and Kiara Shoats added 11.

Coker led by five at the half, and trailed 43-41 going to the fourth quarter. With 2:53 remaining in regulation, the home team trailed 53-49. The teams were scoreless just over the one minute mark when Morgan Williams split a pair of free throws to cut the lead to three. With 41 seconds left Jasmine Kelly nailed a jumpshot to give the Railsplitters a five point cushion. Kendra Lambert made a key pair of free throws with 30 seconds left, but LMU would get one back when Stephanie Smith made one of two from the line. Off the miss on the second, Coker gained possession and called timeout. With 20 seconds left, Lambert knocked down a huge three pointer from way downtown to cut the lead to one. After the bucket, Coker again put Smith on the free throw line.  Kiara Shoats would knock down the jumper that would send the contest to overtime tied at 57.

The teams played the first minute and a half of overtime scoreless before Jazz Green split a pair from the charity stripe to put Coker up 58-57. With just under three minutes remaining Kendra Lambert would connect from beyond the arc again to put Coker up by four. Britney Guy would tie the game up by herself scoring the next four LMU points. Coker trailed 64-61 with under one minute remaining in the extra frame, when Kiara Shoats hit a clutch triple to knot the game up. The teams would need another period to decide a winner.

One minute into the second overtime Green would again split a pair of free throws to put the home team up by one. Guy and Green would trade buckets and a pair of made free throws from Green put Coker up 69-68 with two minutes and change remaining. LMU had possession of the ball with the game tied at 69, and that's when Kortnay Cox hit a three pointer to put her team ahead with 33 ticks left. With 18 seconds on the clock, Jazz Green was fouled beyond the arc, but would only connect on one of three from the charity stripe. LMU would make key free throws from there to seal the gritty victory.

The Cobras are back in action on Wednesday (Jan. 27) when they welcome Catawba. Tip-off is slated for 6:00 p.m. at the DeLoach Center. Tickets for the game are $5 for adults, $3 for students and free to all Coker faculty, staff and students.

McDonald's Player of the Game- Kendra Lambert