PHOENIX, Arizona – The HBU women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker in overtime to the Montana Griz in their first game of the GCU Women's Basketball Classic, 59-56, in GCU Stadium Friday afternoon.
 
The Huskies (3-3, 0-0 SLC) saw big games from N'Denasija Collins and Marilyn Nzoiwu who both posted double-doubles in the game. It was Nzoiwu's second double-double in as many games. Collins had 20 points and 10 rebounds while Nzoiwu had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Julija Vujakovic got the scoring started in the first quarter when she made a layup to give the Huskies the lead right out of the gate. The Griz (4-1) would answer with a layup on their next trip coming down the court to tie things at two. The Huskies would go on an 8-3 run to open up their lead 10-5, including a pair of free throws from Timia Jefferson, a bucket from Nzoiwu and a pair of layups from Collins. The Griz would hold the Huskies scoreless for the last four and a half minutes of the first quarter and end on a 7-0 run to take a 12-10 lead into the second.
 
Nzoiwu made a layup off of a Vujakovic steal to open the second quarter and tie things back at 12. Both teams would trade buckets and free throws until the game was tied at 21. The Griz finished out the second quarter much like they finished out the first, holding the Huskies to just one made basket in the last three minutes while going on a mini 7-2 run to take a 28-23 lead into halftime.
 
Collins started off the third quarter with a made jump shot before the Griz made a pair of layups to extend their lead to 32-25. After a Nzoiwu made layup with 7:43 left on the clock, neither team would score over the next two and a half minutes. Vujakovic would make a layup for the Huskies with 5:20 left to cut the Griz lead to just three, 32-29. After surrendering another made layup, HBU would finish the quarter on an 8-2 run on a three pointer from Enya Maguire and two layups from Collins, including an and-one to end the period. The Griz would hold a 38-37 advantage to begin the fourth quarter.
 
The Huskies came out hot from the floor to begin the fourth quarter with a Collins made three followed by a pair of Vujakovic free throws and another Collins layup to give the Huskies their largest lead of the game, 44-38 and force the Griz to take a timeout. Coming out of the timeout the Griz would go on a 12-3 run to regain the lead 50-47. With 1:30 left on the clock, Maguire knocked down a big three to even things at 50.
 
With one minute left, the Griz made a layup to hold a 52-50 advantage. With ten second left in the game, and still down two, Maguire would miss a three pointer but a huge HBU offensive rebound would allow them to take a timeout and draw up one final play. The Huskies would find Collins in the lane with six seconds left to tie the game at 52. The Griz would use a timeout to draw up their last chance, but Sammy Fatkin would miss a layup at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
 
The Griz would open the overtime period with the first basket, but a layup by Vujakovic and a jumper from Nzoiwu would give the Huskies a two point lead with two and a half minutes left. The Griz would make a free throw with one minute left to cut the HBU lead to just one. After forcing a missed shot, they would make a layup and retake the lead, 57-56, with just 35 seconds left. A missed shot with 15 seconds left by the Huskies would force them to foul and save time by sending the Griz to the line. Carmen Gfeller made both of her free throws to extend the lead to three. The Huskies would use a timeout to advance the ball to try and get one last shot, but would turn it over on the inbounds and the game ended in the Griz favor, 59-56.
 
Collins led the Huskies in scoring with 20 while Nzoiwu had 10. Vujakovic and Maguire would each add eight points and Jefferson added five. Vujakovic added six assists and five rebounds in the contest. The Griz's Fatkin and Gfeller each had 14 points while Abby Anderson added nine. Sophia Stiles led the way with 10 rebounds and four assists.
 
The Huskies will play their final game of the GCU Women's Basketball Classic tomorrow when they face the host team, GCU, at 3:00 p.m.