JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven University women's basketball team falters in an overtime heartbreaker to Hardin Simmons University by the score of 67-65 inside Rugg Arena to open American Southwest Conference play.
 
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INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Belhaven 65 | Hardin Simmons 67

Records: Belhaven 0-5 | HSU 3-2

Location:  Rugg Arena | Jackson, Miss

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HOW IT HAPPENED
- Brittany Ford got the scoring started with a three-pointer, to give the Blazers a 3-0 lead.

- AaLiyaha Thornton would drain a shot from behind the arc off of an assist by Alexis Caldwell, to bring the score 6-2.

- The Green and Gold struggled to find the net and the Cowgirls went on 12-0 run to close out the first quarter.

- The Blazers went on a 9-8 run in the first five minutes of play in the second quarter.

- After made shots by Alexis Caldwell and AaLiyaha Thornton, the Blazers were down just three points.

- The Blazers and the Cowgirls would end the second quarter on a 6-6 run, with the Cowgirls leading 28-25 going into the halftime break.

- To open the third frame, Kelsey Brown made a layup, to cut the lead to just one.

- Hardin-Simmons would go on a 9-4 run to make the score 37- 31 midway through the third quarter.

- After a steal by Aaliyaha Thornton, she would take it all the way down the court to make the score 41-38 with 0:55 seconds left in the third frame.

- Heidi Schroeder would make a jumper with eight seconds left in the quarter, to bring the score to 43-38 going into the fourth quarter.

- With just 2:19 left in the game, the Blazers were down by six points.

- Tying the ballgame up 55-55 with 35 seconds left, the Green and Gold would not go down without a fight.

- At the end of regulation, the score was all tied up at 55 apiece.

- The game went back-and-forth for the whole overtime period, with the Cowgirls coming out on top with a score of 67-65. 
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KEY STATISTICS
- There were three Blazers that scored double digits in the contest.

- AaLiyaha Thornton led the Blazers with 21points, five steals, four assists, and shot 50 percent from behind the arc.

- Lauren Brooks added 15 points on 5-7 from the field.

- Alexis Caldwell pitched in 10 points and added three assists and one steal.

- Brittany Ford posted six points and one assist.

- Kelsey Brown chipped in five points with two assists and led the Blazers in the rebounding column with five.

- As a team, the Blazers shot 65.2 percent from the field.

-Belhaven also added 21 points from the bench.
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UP NEXT
The Green and Gold will remain at home to tip off against American Southwest Conference Opponent McMurry University inside Rugg Arena on Saturday, Dec.2. at 12:00 p.m.
 
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