La Crosse, Wis. – 15^th ranked Grand View University hit 12 of their 14 free throws in the second overtime of a thriller to escape the upset bid by Viterbo University 78-74 in double overtime.

With the score 51-49 with 27 seconds left in regulation, Viterbo's Laquita Becker (Jr. – Caledonia, Minn.) had a chance to give the V-Hawks a four point lead but she was unsuccessful twice at the free throw line leaving the door open for the Vikings. Grand View's Morgan Hammer than hit a jumper with 10 seconds left to tie the game and force the extra time. Grand View would take an early three point lead in the first overtime before Viterbo was able to take a 57-56 lead with just under three minutes left. Jennifer Jorgensen would then give the Vikings a 58-57 lead with 38 seconds left. After a Viterbo timeout, freshman Jenna Engh (Westby, Wis.) would then nail her third three-pointer of the game to give the V-Hawks a 60-58 lead with 18 seconds left. Jorgensen, the leading scorer in Division II of the NAIA, would then tie the game on a lay-up with 9 seconds to go to force the second overtime.

Viterbo would struggle to score in the final period as Grand View opened a 72-62 lead with 1:04 left on the clock. They built its largest lead of the game (10 points) by making eight straight at the charity strip. Viterbo was never able to recover as Engh hit her fourth three-pointer of the game at the buzzer to make the final score 78-74.

In the opening period, the Vikings built a 19-11 lead with just over 7 minutes left in the half before Viterbo made a run. The V-Hawks outscored the Vikings 13-4 over the final seven minutes to take a 24-23 lead at the half. The second half was back and forth the whole way as there were 8 ties and four lead changes and neither team led by more than five.

Engh scored a career high 21 points to lead the V-Hawks as she was 4-5 from behind the arc and 7-10 from the floor. Joining her in double figures was Becker with 16 points and Dani Templin (Jr. – Richland Center, Wis.) with 11 points. Templin also grabbed a team high 9 rebounds. Jorgensen led the Vikings with 32 points and 12 rebounds. As a team, the V-Hawks finished 26-73 (35.6%) from the floor while the Vikings were 27-64 (42.2%). Viterbo did have a 49-43 edge on the boards but did turn the ball over 21 times.

The loss drops the V-Hawks into a tie for third place in the MCC as they are now 5-2 in conference play and 7-12 overall. Grand View improves to 14-5 overall and 6-1 in conference action. Viterbo will be in action next when they host St. Ambrose University on Wednesday night at 5:30 pm.