Box Score If the non-conference games are any indication, Hamline's women's basketball team is in for a wild ride this season. For the second game in a row, the Pipers were forced to go overtime to subdue a foe. This time, it was a frenetic 95-89 win over UW-Stout in their first game at Hutton Arena this season. Hamline's third win in a row lifted their record to 3-2 on the season ... and likely raised the hair on the back of the necks of everybody in existence at Hutton in the process. 

Three Pipers ended up with 20+ points. Jordan Sammons (pictured), who scored 27, was in the middle of much of the late drama. But she had plenty of company for star billing. Chelsey Bonsante scored 21 and Chloe Graves unleashed three three pointers at big moments in the second half to score 20. Emily Behrman added 14 while Alex Peterson worked on her little corner in the record book with eight blocked shots -- just four short of the school record set 21 years ago. (The freshman is second in the MIAC with 2.8 per game.)

For a while there, it looked like there would be little drama. A layup by Jessica Beamon with seven seconds remaining in the half sent HU to a 36-34 advantage at intermission. The Blue Devils came out smoking in the second half with a 11-3 run in the first three minutes of play. UW-Stout didn't let up one bit, stretching the lead to 11 points at 70-59 with 7:15 left. 

Thanks in part to Graves' shooting treys, the Pipers began to fight back, getting within a pair of points on four occasions. UWS went up 83-79 with 13 seconds only to see Sammons hit a jumper to get it back to two again. HU fouled and Stout missed both shots. The Pipers went up court but, before Sammons could shoot, she was fouled with three seconds left. The senior calmly made both shots, sending the Pipers into OT again. 

Things were even for two minutes when Graves took her turn hitting free throws. She made a pair with 2:11 left to break a tie and give HU a 89-87 edge. Peterson then blocked a shot and eventually made a layup to give HU a four-point edge at 91-87 and the Pipers rode it out from there for the dramatic win. 

HU ended up with a 56-52 edge in rebounds with Sammons leading the way with 11 -- her third straight double double game. She also had four assists to pass volunteer assistant coach Je'Naya Brown for second all-time in school history with 221. Her career total of 672 boards ties her for fifth place with Katie Jensen, who played here from 1998-2002. 

After  such an exhausting gaem, the Pipers could use a break. Fortunately, they get one. Their next game will be their MIAC opener against St. Mary's on Wednesday, December 3 at Hutton Arena. Game time is 7:00 p.m.