Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team rallied from a 15-point fourth quarter deficit and saw three different players score 20 points to stun 19th-ranked Pittsburg State in overtime, 97-95, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.

This was the MIAA opener for both teams. UNK (7-0) beats the Gorillas (6-1) for the first time as an MIAA member and for the first time since early in the 1988-89 season when the two schools were in the CSIC (Central States Intercollegiate Conference).

UNK shot an even 50 percent to lead after one quarter, 21-20, but Pitt held the Lopers to 30 points over the next 20 minutes while making well over half its field goals to lead 72-57 early in the fourth. Star guard Mikala Burgess (game-high 31 points) was on fire but then the Lopers switched to a zone defense.

"We didn't really consider it (zone defense) before that point but we were running out of possessions. We couldn't trade baskets with them anymore and had to get some stops," said Loper head coach Carrie Eighmey. "The best way, in our opinion, to do that was to go zone. And our kids did a really good job of taking away shooters, getting deflections and making it tough on them."

The change worked as Pitt was 0 of 7 from downtown in the fourth quarter and 1 for 5 in overtime. Offensively, UNK was unconscious, making 76 percent (13 of 17) of its shots in the fourth to not only erase the deficit but lead 80-76 with 49 ticks left.

However, Pitt got a layup 10 seconds later and then saw the Lopers turn the ball over with the shot clock winding down. The live ball turnover led to a fast break jumper that Paige Imhoff literally banged home with six seconds remaining. UNK had a chance to win it at the buzzer but a layup attempt from senior guard Michaela Barry (Battle Creek) was blocked by Madison Northcutt.

"We had to get stops in the last six or seven minutes. Offensively, we thought we could get to the line and we did. Late third quarter, we made a good run but we were still giving up too many points. We needed to find a way to get three, four or five stops in a row and then be able to come down and at least get a good shot up and a chance to put the ball in the basket," said Eighmey.

In overtime, the Lopers never trailed and were ahead 90-87 with 1:12 remaining. However, Burgess nailed her fifth triple of the night to tie things up 13 seconds later. Barry quickly responded with her fourth trey of the game and then UNK went 4 of 4 at the line to open up a 97-93 cushion.

Pitt wouldn't go quietly as Imhoff was fouled with a tenth of a second left attempting a long three pointer. She only made one of the freebies and UNK grabbed the final rebound.

To upset a Top 25 team for the second time as an MIAA member, Kearney shot 53 percent (32 of 61) from the field and 90 percent (28 of 31) at the line. The Loper bench also outscored the Pitt reserves, 19-11.

Graduate transfer Alyssa Frauendorfer (Humphrey) carried the Lopers early on, scoring 18 of her team-high 28 in the first half. Going 12 of 13 at the line and 8 of 11 from the floor, she also had three rebounds and two assists in 42 minutes.

Barry missed most of the first half due to foul trouble but made up for lost time by tallying 18 of her points in the second half and overtime. She went 6 of 14 (4 of 6) from the field and added four rebounds and three assists.

Next, Grand Island senior McKenzie Brown played a team-high 43 points and recorded 24 points and six boards. Off the bench, freshman wing Kelsey Sanger (Crofton) went for eight points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in 35 minutes. She also was one of several Lopers to hound Burgess on the defensive end. 

"Both Alyssa and Michaela are really competitive. In the second half, they started to play the gaps and make sure we couldn't drive it on them quite as easily. That opened up some perimeter shooting and Michaela was able to hit some three. Late, we went back to putting pressure on them at the rim and Alyssa did a good job of playing with four fouls," said Eighmey.

Burgess, making 11 of 21 shots, was one of four Pitt starters in double figures. The Gorillas cooled off as the night wore on but still shot 51 percent (38 of 75) from the field. However, they were just 5 of 22 from long distance.

UNK hosts Missouri Southern State Saturday at 2 p.m. The Lions (1-6) fell tonight at Fort Hays State, 76-60.