Women's Basketball 3/14/2007 4:41:00 PM

OCU advances with 95-85 double-overtime win

JACKSON, Tenn. – Oklahoma City University survived to beat Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 95-85 in double overtime Wednesday at Oman Arena in the NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament.
Alexandra Kotta, a 5-foot-11 senior from Germantown, Md., was OCU's ringleader Wednesday, recording 25 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Viola Beybeyah, a 5-10 junior from Oklahoma City, chipped in 23 points and 12 rebounds.
The 19th-ranked Stars advanced to a second-round game 10:45 a.m. Friday against top-ranked Vanguard (Calif.). OCU is now 27-7. Vanguard won 74-64 over Harris-Stowe (Mo.) on Wednesday.
Stacy Myers, the TranSouth Conference player of the year, led Freed-Hardeman with 29 points. Freed-Hardeman rallied from 10 points down as Myers forced overtime by hitting a layup as time expired in regulation.
Chelsea Ledbetter had given the Stars a 72-70 advantage by connecting on a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining in regulation.
“There were two or three times where we had nine, 10-point leads,” OCU coach Rob Edmisson said. “Give credit to Freed, they kept battling back. Usually when we get a 10-point lead, we make a run and keep pushing the lead. We couldn't get that done today, and a lot of it had to do with the way Freed shot the ball.
“At this point in your season, it doesn't matter too much how you play, it's that you play well enough to get one more point and get another game. I was proud of our kids.”
Beybeyah kept OCU alive in overtime by hitting a bucket to tie the game 78-78 with 1:43 left. Kotta missed a 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining in overtime to send the game to a second overtime.
In the second overtime, Ledbetter sparked the Stars by sinking a trey, giving OCU an 81-80 edge. The Stars outscored Freed-Hardeman 17-7 in the final period.
Kotta put OCU up 88-83 by driving to the basket for a layup, drawing a foul, then hitting a free throw with 2:25 left. Kotta also hit two other free throws in the period.
“Alex has the ability to hit a lot of 3s,” Edmisson said. “The thing she's started doing better is if she misses a couple, she doesn't give up on her shot and starts to drive to the basket. She did a great job attacking the rim in the overtime. Alex is our only senior, and she played like a senior.”

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Players Mentioned

#3 Alexandra Kotta: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#32 Viola Beybeyah: F; 5' 10"; Senior

#12 Chelsea Ledbetter: G; 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#3 Alexandra Kotta
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#32 Viola Beybeyah
: 5' 10"; Senior
: F

#12 Chelsea Ledbetter
: 5' 8"; Junior
: G

Players Mentioned

#3 Alexandra Kotta

#32 Viola Beybeyah

#12 Chelsea Ledbetter

Players Mentioned

#3 Alexandra Kotta

#32 Viola Beybeyah

#12 Chelsea Ledbetter