Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. - The UNO women's basketball team turned in a spirited performance on Senior Day in a 79-73 upset win over Pittsburg State on Saturday at Sapp Fieldhouse.
The win put the Mavs at 8-18 overall and 5-17 in the MIAA to end the season, as the Mavs will finish either tied for 10th or alone in 11th in the MIAA and will not qualify for the MIAA Conference Tournament. Pittsburg State, who had won nine of 12 coming into Saturday's game, dropped to 15-11 overall and 13-9 in the MIAA. The Gorillas, who will be the fifth seed in the conference tournament next week, had previously handed UNO its worst loss of the season in a 98-59 rout on Jan. 19.
But the Mavs would defend their home court on Senior Day. In fact, it was the Mavs' lone senior #
Katie Kane# who got the Mavs off to the start they needed. Kane scored an old-fashioned three-point play at the 18:52 mark of the first half to put UNO up 6-4, a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way. Kane's basket sparked an 11-2 UNO run, as the Mavs stormed out to a 14-6 lead, with Nash scoring seven of the Mavs' points.
The Mavs took their biggest lead of the half at 12 points when Nash scored a driving basket with three seconds left and earned a free throw for a 41-29 lead at halftime.
UNO held strong in the second half after a 6-0 Pittsburg State run made it 51-45 with 12:18 to play. UNO responded with 19-9 run, highlighted by two three-pointers by #
Amanda Woodring and five points by Jessica Zaruba# in the stretch to push the lead to 16 at 70-54 with 7:06 left.
The Gorillas had an answer from long range though, as Kylee Baldetti and Brooke Conley hit back-to-back threes. Lauren Brown then scored back-to-back baskets in the paint to draw within six at 70-64 and cap a 10-0 Gorilla run with 3:53 left.
#
Paige Frauendorfer# ended the run with a mid-range jumper, but Pitt State's Y'Cedria Devers scored four more points to draw within 72-68 with 2:02 left.
However, the Mavs' leading scorer on the season, #
Heather Pohl#, hit a put-back shot down low for a 74-68 lead, and Frauendorfer then came up with a steal and scored on a jumper off the glass on the ensuing possession to make it 76-68 UNO with 47 seconds left.
The Gorillas would not go quietly, as Drew Roberts drained a three to make it 76-71 with 42 seconds remaining. However, the Mavs remained solid defensively and Frauendorfer and Pohl made free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Nash finished the day with her third double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Nash also had six assists and four steals. Frauendorfer had 15 points and nine rebounds, while Pohl had 10 points and nine rebounds. Zaruba added 13 points and Woodring finished with 12 points on 4-of-6 three-pointers. Kane scored five points, grabbed two rebounds and added three assists in her final game as a Maverick.
The Mavs held a 14-4 advantage in fast-break points and a 17-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
