LAWTON, Okla.  Western Colorado had 12th-ranked Pittsburg State (Kan.) on the ropes Saturday at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Holiday Classic, before the Gorillas staged a late comeback to force overtime and eventually escape with a 70-67 win over the Mountaineers in a neutral site, non-conference game.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Pitt State def. Western, 70-67 OT
Records: Western 5-5, Pitt State 9-2
Location: Cameron University, Aggie Gym, Lawton, Okla.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams played to a tie over first half action, Western taking a 15-14 lead after the opening quarter and Pitt State reversing those numbers in the second, sending the combatants into the halftime break knotted at 29-29.
• A Chloe Daniels jumper opened third quarter scoring, giving Western a lead that would grow to seven, 47-40, by the end of the frame.
• Western kept the momentum on its side to start the fourth, getting a jumper from in close by Ivey Schmidt and soon after a 3-pointer from Micah Wicks to grow the advantage to 11 (52-41) just shy of halfway through the final quarter.
• A 9-0 run that was initiated by a pair of 3-pointers brought the Gorillas back into the game and they would eventually take a 54-53 lead with 32 seconds remaining.
• Jayda Maves, though, dropped in a 3-pointer for a Western lead, but Pitt State played into a foul in the final 10 seconds, hitting both free throws to send the game into extra time.
• A 3-pointer opened the overtime period and gave Pitt State a lead it wouldn't relinquish until Maves hit another triple, inching Western in front 64-63, with 47 seconds left in OT.
• Pitt State scored the next five points to regain the lead and, despite a late 3-pointer by Penelope Urquhart that drew Western back within a point, the Gorillas sank two free throws with six seconds left for the final margin.

COURT NOTES

• Schmidt would lead Western with 24 points while Maves went for 17, while Western picked up 18 points from its non-starters.
• Those strong efforts were not enough to overcome the game-high 36 points from Pitt State's Ja'Miya Brown and 21 more from Harper Schreiner who combined for 57 of their team's 70 total points, the Gorillas getting just five points from their bench players.
• Western would shoot 46 percent from the floor compared to Pitt State's 33%, but the Gorillas were dangerous from long range, 11 of their 23 total field goals coming from behind the 3-point arc.

 UP NEXT
The Mountaineers return to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action after the holiday break, starting off with a weekend road trip to Fort Lewis College on Jan. 8 followed by a trip to New Mexico Highlands on Jan. 10.