KIRKSVILLE, MO. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team rallied from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit, but fell short in its comeback bid with a 78-73 overtime loss at Truman State in Great Lakes Valley Conference play on Thursday night.
 
The two teams also played in a double overtime game won by UMSL (61-60) just 20 days ago in St. Louis.
 
The Bulldogs scored the first four and final four points of the extra period. Rachel Steinhoff put back an offensive rebound with 30 seconds to play to give the home team a 76-73 lead and after the Tritons missed a shot on the ensuing possession, Truman hit a pair of free throws to seal the victory.
 
UMSL slips to 7-9 overall, including 2-6 in the GLVC, while Truman improves to 12-6 and 6-2 in the league.
 
The Tritons helped force overtime by ending regulation with a 12-3 run, which featured three-point buckets by junior Jordan Boyce and senior Kelly Kunkel. Kunkel also collected a steal on a Truman inbounds pass that led to the game-tying basket by senior Amber Daly with 24 seconds to play. Truman went to the free throw line with 1.9 seconds on the clock, but missed both attempts. The Bulldogs, which led 54-50 after three quarters, took their largest lead of the game at 61-51 with 8:19 on the clock.
 
Redshirt sophomore Jordan Fletcher finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Kunkel followed with 18 points and six rebounds. Daly chipped in nine points, six rebounds and five assists.
 
Fletcher scored eight of her points in the first quarter as both teams scored 17 points. Truman took a 37-31 lead into halftime, opening the second quarter with an 8-2 run while four UMSL players each picked up their second fouls. The Bulldogs took a 27-21 lead at the 6:04 mark before the Tritons followed with a 7-1 run and knotted it at 28-28 on a Daly traditional three-point play with just under three minutes to go. Truman answered with seven straight en route to the halftime advantage.
 
The Bulldogs went to the free throw line 40 times, making 27 as UMSL was flagged with 33 fouls. Truman was charged with 20 fouls and the Tritons were 15-of-23 at the charity stripe.
 
UMSL shot 42.9 percent from the field and owned a39-25 rebounding advantage over the Bulldogs, which entered the game second in the league with a rebounding margin of +7.4. Truman shot 48.1 percent.
 
UMSL wraps up its weekend road swing at Quincy on Saturday at 1 p.m.