INDIANAPOLIS – Playing in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament First Round, the No, 14 seeded Saint Xavier University women's basketball team (18-12, 14-6 CCAC) gave host, and No. 3, Marian University (Ind.) all it could handle, forcing overtime by outscoring the Knights 24-9 in the final quarter of regulation, however the Cougars' upset bid came up short as they lost 73-63 in overtime Friday evening at the PE Center in Indianapolis, Ind. in the Naismith Bracket. Graduate student guard/forward Ryann Ogarek (Joliet, Ill./Benedictine/Lewis/Providence) helped to fuel to comeback, scoring eight of her team-high 19 points in the fourth period. She finished the game 7-for-12 from the field and was 2-for-4 from beyond the arc while adding three rebounds and a steal in 37 minutes of action.

SXU scored the first basket of the game and led 7-4 midway through the opening quarter after junior guard Jaidn Green (Evansville, Ind./Evansville North) knocked down a three-pointer in front of the MU bench at the 5:27 mark. Marian closed out the period with a 13-11 advantage. The Knights built their largest lead of the first half, 28-18, with 2:32 remaining when Saint Xavier responded with back-to-back threes from Green and senior guard Jenna Hernandez (Homer Glen, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) to pull within four, 28-24, with just over a minute left in the half, and they would head into halftime down 30-24.

The Cougars stayed within striking distance, down by two possessions, for most of the third quarter before MU went on a 13-5 run to enter the fourth period with its largest lead of the game, 51-36. Senior center Alyssa Crenshaw (Algonquin, Ill./Dundee-Crown) sparked a rally for SXU with 8:42 to go when she converted an 'And-1' to begin a 16-1 run over the next four minutes to tie the game at 52-52 after a jumper by Ogarek with 4:38 left. Ogarek made a pair of free throws at the 2:55 mark to give Saint Xavier its first lead, 56-54, since the first quarter. Crenshaw pushed the lead to four, 58-54, with just over two minutes left in regulation.

In the final minute, Ogarek split a pair of foul shots, as did senior guard Aaliyahna Derrell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sand Creek) that allowed Marian to tie the game, 60-60 with eight seconds with a foul called on the basket. Derrell grabbed the missed free-throw attempt, drove just beyond mid court and her game-winning shot attempt rimmed out at the clock expired. The Knights scored the first four points in OT, but Derrell hit a three-pointer with 1:23 left and the Cougars quickly called a timeout. MU sank a three on its next possession and would close the game out on free throws to advance to the Second Round of the tournament on Saturday.

• Crenshaw ended the game with 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting, along with four rebounds, a team-high three steals and an assist in 30 minutes.
• Green also posted double-digits, tallying 11 points and she was 3-for-7 from beyond the arc. She also had five assists and five rebounds while logging a career-high 42 minutes on the court.
• Derrell collected nine points, a game-best seven assists, six rebounds and a steal in 37 minutes of action.
• Junior center Eleanor Harris (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and she blocked a career-high seven shots. Harris added three points, an assist and a steal in 29 minutes off the bench.
• Hernandez recorded five points and a steal, making a pair of foul shots during the fourth quarter rally.