From VCSU Athletics
LA CROSSE, WIS. (VCSUAthletics.com) – Breanna Price‘s career-best 25 points and 10 rebounds weren’t enough Friday night as the Valley City State women’s basketball team suffered a 78-72 overtime loss to Viterbo University.
Viterbo sank a season-high 26 free throws – including nine in overtime – to defeat the Vikings in its first game since Dec. 18. Valley City State falls to 5-9 on the season and 2-2 in conference play. Viterbo improves to 7-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
Valley City State held the advantage through most of the game Friday night, leading by as much as eight points on an Allie Negen free throw in the second quarter. From there, Viterbo would take an 8-0 run to tie the game, but free throws from Emma Nielsen and Ashlyn Diemert kept the Vikings ahead 29-25 at halftime.
The Vikings held onto the lead until the V-Hawks finished the third quarter with six straight points to lead 44-42. The Vikings held a 59-53 advantage with 3:01 to go when the V-Hawks erased the six-point deficit and forced overtime with a three-point play by Viterbo’s Kaitlyn Kennedy.
The Vikings went cold in overtime, going 1-for-10 from the field in the final five minutes. Viterbo outscored VCSU 15-9 in the final period, including going 9-for-12 on free throws to finish with the 78-72 conference win.
Valley City State shot 33 percent from the field (22-66), 25 percent on 3’s (5-20) and 82 percent from the free throw line (23-28). Viterbo shot 36 percent on field goals (24-66), 19 percent on 3-pointers (4-21) and 70 percent on free throws (26-37).
Valley City State held a 54-31 rebounding advantage, including 16 offensive boards that led to 16 second chance points. The V-Hawks scored 18 points off 27 Viking turnovers Friday and tallied 17 steals as a team.
Price’s 25 points and 10 rebounds combined for the first double-double of her career. Taryn Dieterle also recorded a double-double Friday with 12 points and a career-best 16 rebounds.
Diemert and Nielsen each posted eight points Friday while Nielsen added five rebounds and four assists for the Vikings. Negen chipped in nine points and Adriana Torres grabbed nine rebounds off VCSU’s bench.
Viterbo had four players score in double figures Friday led by Kacie Gross who scored 18 and Chyna Young who finished with 17 points while going 9-for-12 on free throws.
UP NEXT: VCSU closes out the weekend on the road at Waldorf University on Saturday. The women are slated to tip at 3 p.m. with the men’s game to follow at 5 p.m.