SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — Oakland City University defeated Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College 69-65 in a thrilling women's basketball overtime battle at Knoerle Center on Tuesday evening (Feb. 18).

The game saw a late-game surge from the Pomeroys, who managed to tie the game in the final seconds of regulation. However, the Mighty Oaks took control in overtime, outscoring SMWC to secure the win.

For SMWC (14-13, 6-9 RSC), junior forward Madison Fueger had a standout performance, scoring 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting, while also grabbing seven rebounds. Senior guard Irye Gomez contributed 14 points, with four three-pointers, and sophomore guard Brooklynn Jones added 14 points and six rebounds.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with the Pomeroys holding a slim 21-12 lead after the first quarter. However, the second quarter proved costly for SMWC, as they managed only five points while Oakland City matched their total of 12. With both teams struggling to find their rhythm, the game remained tight throughout.

In the fourth quarter, Fueger led the charge for the Pomeroys, scoring eight points, but Oakland City's strong defense and balanced scoring kept them in the contest. The game went into overtime after Jones made a clutch jumper to tie the game at 63-all with under 30 seconds remaining in regulation.

The overtime period was a test of endurance, and while SMWC was unable to score effectively in the final minutes, Oakland City capitalized on free throws to secure the win. The Mighty Oaks went 2-for-4 from the charity stripe in overtime, while the Pomeroys struggled with just one field goal in the extra period.

Abby Worley of SMWC also made history in the contest, recording her 391st career assist, which tied her with Darci Rector for the all-time program record. 

The Pomeroys jumped out early with a quick basket by Jones at the 9:09 mark, giving the home team an early 2-0 lead. But Oakland City responded with a basket from Monesjia Harvey to tie the game. The first few minutes featured several missed opportunities and turnovers from both sides, with Samara Douglas and Kyrisha Hay struggling with shots for SMWC, while OCU's Gabrielle Joyner was active on defense, making a steal and a fast-break layup at the 6:59 mark to give Oakland City its first lead of the game, 7-6.

SMWC quickly regained control, however, with a 3-pointer from Irye Gomez at the 8:12 mark, followed by a jumper from Madison Fueger to push the lead to 12-7. Oakland City's Joyner added two free throws with 5:52 left, cutting the lead to 10-8.

The Pomeroys' defense continued to show up with a key steal by Brooklynn Jones and a fast-break layup to extend the lead to 14-8 at the 4:13 mark. Despite a free throw from OCU's Rhyland Kalb narrowing the gap, SMWC continued to capitalize on fast-break opportunities, with Fueger scoring on a layup at 2:13 to make it 18-8.

Oakland City continued to battle, with Emilee Hope making two free throws in the final seconds to close out the quarter at 18-12. Throughout the quarter, both teams struggled with turnovers but found moments of success on offense, especially in fast-break scenarios.

Oakland City opened the final period with a strong start, as Dove scored a quick layup to extend their lead to 45-38. SMWC quickly answered back with a 3-pointer from Gomez, but OCU's Hope hit a crucial 3-pointer of her own to push the lead to 48-41 with just under 9 minutes left.

The momentum swung further in OCU's favor when Joyner stole the ball and converted a fast-break layup, giving OCU a 52-41 advantage with 8:02 left. SMWC then called a timeout, but OCU continued to control the tempo.

SMWC's Madison Fueger tried to keep the Pomeroys in the game, hitting a jumper to reduce OCU's lead to 54-47. Fueger would go on to score several more baskets, bringing SMWC within striking distance. However, OCU's defense held strong, with Rhyland Kalb and Hope contributing crucial stops in the final minutes.

With just under 2 minutes left, Brooklynn Jones of SMWC made two free throws to give the Pomeroys a 61-60 lead, their first lead since the early stages of the quarter. However, Hope answered with a clutch 3-pointer with 1:45 remaining, pushing OCU back in front 63-61.

In the final seconds a second-chance scoring opportunity for Fueger came off a Jones miss to knot the score at 63 and send the game into overtime.

Oakland City (18-8, 13-2 RSC) was led by senior guard Emilee Hope, who scored a game-high 24 points, including five three-pointers, and added four rebounds. Guard Gabrielle Joyner chipped in with 17 points and six rebounds in the victory.

Up Next: Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College will honor its 10-member senior class during pregame ceremonies before their regular season finale against IU-Kokomo on Saturday, February 22, at 2 p.m. (ET) inside Knoerle Center.