The Basics

Score: Evangel 101, Ottawa 90

Location: Ottawa, Kan. (Wilson Fieldhouse) 

Records: Evangel (11-10, 9-6), Ottawa (6-15, 3-12) 

Box Score 

OTTAWA, Kan. -- Evangel Women's Basketball concluded their road trip on Wednesday (Jan. 29) evening, traveling north to Ottawa, Kan., to take on the Ottawa Braves. Looking to bounce back after a narrow loss on Saturday, the Valor women needed an extra period to decide the result of Wednesday's game, taking a 101-90 win behind a career night from Ali Kamies.

The Valor offense jumped out to an early 9-7 lead over Ottawa in the first quarter, using five points from Carson Dillard to pace scoring for EU. After scoring their ninth point, the Valor went on a scoring drought, not scoring for nearly four and a half minutes, as Ottawa went on a 10-0 run to take a 9-17 lead before Evin Montgomery closed the quarter for the Valor, scoring an old fashioned three point play to make it a 12-17 game, heading into the second period.

Despite Ottawa taking an eight point lead with 8:20 left in the first half, the Valor women continued to fight, using nine points from Ali Kamies to help tie the game up at 26-26 on a Micah Clayton basket. Evangel battled in the quarter, outscoring Ottawa by a single point to take a 39-38 lead at the halftime break on a Lydia Babirye basket.

In the third quarter, the Braves again pushed out to a lead over Evangel, 39-44, with 8:48 remaining, before Babirye scored 10 consecutive points for the Valor to push EU out to a 49-45 lead with 7:06 on the clock. The Evangel offense continued to click as the Valor closed out the quarter on a 9-3 run, leading 67-59 at the end of the third quarter.

The Valor took a 10-point lead to open the fourth quarter, 69-59, on a Clayton basket, before Ottawa narrowed the Evangel lead to three points, 73-70. EU never relinquished the lead in the quarter, as they were able to take as much as a seven point lead in the period, before the Braves closed the quarter on a run, hitting a buzzer beating jumper to force an overtime period on Wednesday, 82-82.

The overtime period proved to be an offensive explosion for Evangel, as the Valor scored 19 points in the five minute period. EU was able to keep the Braves scoreless for just over four minutes in the extra period, after four different Valor athletes helped generate a 12-0 run. EU nailed free throws down the stretch en route to a 101-90 win on the road.

QUOTABLE 

"Overtimes have been good to us so far this year. Our offense pretty much carried us tonight. We rode Ali Kamies hot hand much of the night as she finished with 33 points. When she fouled out, Micah Clayton stepped up in overtime, getting us the lead with two big buckets and the three by Carson Dillard gave us breathing room," stated Head Coach Jim Middleton. "Then, we hit our free throws down the stretch. It was great to get another road win and now we get to come home Saturday after three on the road."

NOTABLE 

• Ali Kamies led the Valor with 33 points in Wednesday's win, her career high and the most points scored by an EU athlete this season.

• Carson Dillard (18 pts.), Lydia Babirye (12 pts.), and Micah Clayton (10 pts.), rounded out double digit scoring for Evangel.

• Kamie Jenkins pulled down a team high 11 rebounds.

• Jazzy Kirby finished with seven assists.

UP NEXT 

Evangel returns home on Saturday (Feb. 1) afternoon at noon for a big matchup with the Bethel Threshers in AGFinancial Arena.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.  

—#OneValor—