The William Carey Lady Crusaders overcame multiple deficits to beat Life University 55–49 in overtime Thursday night at the SSAC Championship in Montgomery, Alabama, according to the school.
Life University started strong, opening the game on a 6–0 run and extending the lead to 17–7 by the end of the first quarter. Carey trimmed the deficit with free throws and timely baskets, trailing 26–16 at halftime.
After the break, Carey increased its intensity. The Lady Crusaders chipped away, pulling within seven in the third quarter. A late-quarter surge, highlighted by three-pointers from Brooklyn Cuevas and Maddelyn Ladner, brought Carey within two at 36–34 entering the final period.
In the fourth quarter, Life regained momentum, pushing ahead 40–34. Carey responded with a series of clutch plays, including a game-tying basket from Ladner and a game-saving block from Shaneal Corpuz in the final seconds to force overtime.
In the extra period, Life opened with a three-pointer but missed subsequent possessions. Cuevas sank three free throws to tie the game and later added a free throw to give Carey its first lead of the night. The Lady Crusaders finished strong, with Ladner scoring a layup and Corpuz hitting key free throws to seal the 55–49 victory. Corpuz led all scorers with 13 points and added eight rebounds, while Ladner contributed 10 points.
Carey will face top seed Loyola University on Friday at 5 p.m. in the next round of the tournament.
