It took overtime for the #11 New Mexico Lady Thunderbirds to defeat the upset minded Seward Lady Saints 84-81 Friday night at the Castor Activity Center in Hobbs.  Avery Marchino scored 33 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the loss.

The Lady Saints jumped out to a lead of 13-6 and NMJC lead 17-16 after one.  Seward led 31-29 early in the second quarter but the Lady T-Birds outscored SCCC 22-15 in th3e second quarter.  Seward outscored NMJC 20-17 in the third quarter and trailed 56-51 at the end of three.  Seward continued their climb in the fourth quarter taking a 60-58 lead as RaMya Kennedy beat the shot clock on an inbounds play burying a left wing three to make it 60-58 and SCCC led 65-60  with five minutes to play.  NMJC ralled back to lead 66-65 with 3:50 to play.  Grace Posch hit a clutch three pointer to give Seward a 72-70 lead with a minute to play.  Seward led 75-73 with 18 seconds left and then got a stop.  Seward made 1 of 2 at the foul line and led 76-73 with 6.6 second left.  New Mexico’s Rekiah Bowen banked in a three to tie the game at 76-76 with two seconds left.  The game went to overtime.  Avery Marchino’s right wing three in front of Seward’s bench gave the Lady Saints an 81-78 lead in overtime with 1:55 to play.  But Seward did not score again.

Seward’s misses at the foul line were costly as Seward was 17-29 from the line.  They were 14-31 from three and shot 39 percent from the field.  Seward only committed eight turnovers and all of those came in the first half.  The Lady T-Birds out-rebounded SCCC 47-35.  NMJC shot 47 percent from the field.

Avery Marchino was Epic Touch Player of the Game with 33 points and seven rebounds.  Kimora Fagan and Grace Posch scored 14 a piece.  Trinitee Holmes had eight points and eight rebounds.

NMJC is 4-1 and Seward is 4-1.  Seward plays Dallas College Cedar Valley Saturday at 4pm in Hobbs on 1270 and 92.3.