Box Score

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - Midwestern State had No. 7 Northeastern State bruised, barely breathing and on the ropes Thursday night at Jack Dobbins Fieldhouse.

But the Mustangs just couldn't finish the job as the RiverHawks used two buzzer beaters to escape with an 82-77 double overtime Lone Star Conference crossover win.

"The kids laid it down to play this game," MSU coach Noel Johnson said. "I felt like we could beat them if we scored in the 70s. We really took it to them in the paint and were able to convert free throws."

Seniors Katiya Jackson and Nolisha Markham delivered career performances as MSU overcome a 10-point second-half deficit to take a 57-54 lead after Jackson canned a pair of free throws with 7.3 seconds to go.

That's when the resilient RiverHawks struck first as Taylor Lewis fired in a 3-pointer from the left wing with 1.1 seconds left to send the game into overtime at 57-all.

The Mustangs dominated the first overtime frame as Jackson fought off three NSU players to come away with a rebound and spun a layup in off of the glass to set the tone in the first overtime.

Jackson canned a runner in the lane on the possession to push the lead to 61-57 as the Mustangs limited the RiverHawks to just two field goals in the opening four minutes of the second overtime.

Freshman guard Rebekah Cluley hit a 10-footer in the lane to reestablish a four-point advantage and Markham connected on one-of-two free throws to push the lead to 64-59 with 50.7 seconds to play in the first overtime.

Once again, Northeastern State came flying back as Jasmine Wright buried a trey from the right wing to cut the lead to 64-62.

That's when things got interesting as the Mustangs held the ball late in the shot clock time expiring. Savannah Carver's runner in the lane failed to make contact with the rim, but play was allowed to continue and Carver was whistled for a foul with 1.8 seconds to go.

After a video review, the officials rescinded the foul and ruled a shot clock violation giving the RiverHawks the ball on the baseline with 5.2 seconds to play.

Tosha Tyler dribbled coast-to-coast and hit a running layup as time expired to force a second overtime.

The RiverHawks took control to outscore the Mustangs 18-13 leading by as many as 8 points in the final extra frame.

The Mustangs battered the RiverHawks by a 40-33 margin on the glass and connected on 27-of-34 free throws (79.4 percent).

Lewis led a quartet of RiverHawks in double figures with 19 points, while Jasmine Webb added 18, Tyler had 17 and Jasmine Wright finished with 10.

The Mustangs (4-7) take on Central Oklahoma in their final LSC crossover game of the season Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Fieldhouse in Edmond. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

Northeastern State improved to 10-1.