JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Saniya Simmons scored nine points, all in overtime, to help the Lincoln women's basketball team defeat Evangel, 84-76, in LU's final game of 2023 on Saturday (Dec. 30).

Ashlyn Alloway led the Blue Tigers with 22 points and grabbed six rebounds, blocked a shot, dished two assists and tallied two steals. AJ Bradley also filled the stat sheet with 20 points, six boards, four assists, three steals and a block. Simmons dished two assists and notched a team-high four steals.

Lincoln (5-6) led 41-32 at halftime and kept the advantage in double digits for most of the third quarter, but Evangel (5-4) had a huge fourth period, shooting .500 overall and .400 from long distance while out-scoring the Blue Tigers 20-10. After a Bradley layup put LU ahead by 13, the Valor hit a layup to begin a 16-2 run that ended with Evangel taking a 68-67 lead on a bucket with one minute to play. Bradley briefly gave the lead back to LU with a layup, but EU made a pair of shots at the end to regain the advantage.

Bradley was sent to the line and made her first shot to knot the score at 70, but the second was no good. The Valor turned the ball over while driving to their end of the court, however, but Lincoln missed a pair of shots just before the buzzer, sending the contest into overtime. Alloway scored the first four points of the extra period, and then Simmons took over, making back-to-back jumpers and knocking down a three to go with a pair of free throws that put LU ahead by eight and sealed the victory, Lincoln's first of the year in overtime.

Alyssa McCarty also had nine points and recorded two rebounds, two steals and an assist. Steph Torres provided eight points and two steals while Hanne Nybo had three points, a block, a rebound and an assist. Imani Jones finished with six points, two boards and a pair of assists.

Biance Stocks led LU with five assists and Heaven Shockley blocked three shots to go with four points, an assist and three rebounds. Kiara Cabrera had a steal, and Tatiana Beaumont closed the scoring for the Blue Tigers with three points, two rebounds, a block and an assist. Lincoln forced Evangel into 29 turnovers and registered 17 steals as well as seven blocks.

The Blue Tigers are on the road for their next two games, starting on Thursday (Jan. 4) with a trip to Kearney, Neb. to play Nebraska Kearney at 5:30 p.m. CST.