Keilanei Cooper
Carlos Puma
75
Winner UC Riverside UCR 13-12 (7-4 BWC)
68
Cal Poly CP 5-18 (2-10 BWC)
Winner
UC Riverside UCR
13-12 (7-4 BWC)
75
Final
68
Cal Poly CP
5-18 (2-10 BWC)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 OT 2 F
UC Riverside UCR 9 18 15 14 7 12 75
Cal Poly CP 13 12 12 19 7 5 68

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | By Quinn Roberts

Women's Basketball Wins Double OT Thriller vs. Cal Poly

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—With 5:47 left in the second quarter of Thursday's game vs. Cal Poly, things took an interesting turn for the UC Riverside Women's Basketball team. Jannon Otto, the team's leading scorer this season, fouled out.

It was only the beginning of what would turn out to be the most unusual and eventful game of the season. Luckily it would also be one the Highlanders (13-12, 7-4) could smile about postgame, picking up a 75-68 win in double overtime.

Instead of throwing in the towel once Otto fouled out, it galvanized the team.

"It was a boost to the team," said point guard Keilanei Cooper, who played all 50 minutes. "Their team energy went up because Jannon had fouled out. It drove us all to pick it up and take on a bigger role. I feel like it didn't hurt us. I think it almost helped us."

While it took a little while for the team to adjust without Otto on the court, it went into halftime with a 27-25 lead.

It was especially impressive that UCR went into the half with a lead considering it went scoreless from 5:19 in the first quarter to 6:41 in the second.

UCR came out for the second half on a mission to prove it could push through and win without Otto. It went on a 12-2 run to begin the third quarter and increase its lead to 12 points.

However, in another twist just a few minutes later, Malou De Kergret fouled out with 2:27 left in the third quarter. When the two teams squared-off on Saturday in an 80-66 win for UCR, Otto and De Kergret combined to score 52 points.

With two starters out even before the end of the third quarter, head coach John Margaritis worked Andrianna Kasapi, Lauryn Pointer and Jalyn Clay into the rotation.

He saw certain intangibles in the team that he didn't know existed until Thursday night.

"So many times they could have given up and they didn't," Margaritis said. "It was a true team effort."

Otto and De Kergret were on the bench cheering for their teammates and giving high-fives during timeouts.

"It was crazy. I've never fouled out that quick or seen anyone ever foul out that quickly," Otto said. "I was shocked, but we had to move on and I had to focus on my teammates and help them anyway I could."

The game never would have gone into overtime had Cal Poly forward Hana Vesela  not missed the second free throw with nine seconds left and the score tied 56-56.

The team was running on fumes by the time it got to overtime, especially the second overtime, but powered through both emotionally and physically. After Cal Poly made a bucket to begin the second overtime, UCR went on a 10-0 run that secured the victory. It played in one other overtime game this season against BYU, losing 72-70.

"When the Big West tournament comes we may have to rely on different girls," Cooper said. "They'll know what it feels like to be on the floor and play in a double overtime game with so much on the line."

Cooper finished with 24 points, while Marina Ewodo finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds in 48 minutes, marking her sixth double-double of the season.

"People are going to read the score and see that we won, but it doesn't tell the story," Margaritis said. "What happened is probably the greatest win in all my years coaching given the circumstances."

The team has little time to reflect on the win. It has a quick turnaround and will play at UC Irvine on Saturday at 7 p.m.

"We can remind ourselves in the future about just how hard we played," Margaritis said. "It isn't just a story. It is something you lived."