Game Summary

WINONA, Minn. — For the first 20 minutes of Monday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball game, Bethel had Ashley Luehmann's (Lewiston, Minn.) number, holding the Saint Mary's University senior sharpshooter to one lousy free throw.

Over the game's final 25 minutes, however, Luehmann was unstoppable, netting 15 points to lead SMU to a 75-73 overtime win over the Royals at the SMU Gym.

"Ashley's the veteran out there and we needed her to step up and take control tonight and she did," said SMU coach Dan Messmann, whose team extended its season-high winning streak to three straight with their first overtime win since a 77-76 loss to Concordia on Dec. 12, 2004. "(Bethel) did a pretty good job of shutting her down in the first half, but we knew that if we kept getting her the ball, Ashley would hit the big shots."

Speaking of big shots, Luehmann wasn't the only Cardinal knocking down clutch jumpers.

Kelly Tanke (La Crosse, Wis.) drained a pair of second-half 3-pointers — the second to give SMU a 62-60 advantage with 1:44 left in regulation — en route to a nine-point second half and Sarah Murphy (Belle Plaine, Minn.) added 10 of her 12 points over the game's final 25 minutes to help lead the Cardinals to their second conference win in four outings.

"Kelly and Sarah really seemed to energize our offense in the second half," said Messmann, whose team trailed by three, 26-23, at the half, outscored the Royals 41-38 in the second half to force overtime, then led by as many as six, 74-68 with 35 seconds remaining, before holding off a late Bethel charge to ice the win. "Being able to battle back like we did tonight is a huge confidence-booster for this team — and when you battle back like that and come away with the win, it's that much sweeter."