RENSSELAER, IND. -- Whitney Sykes matched her career-high of 27 points with a 30-foot overtime buzzer beater as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville slipped past Saint Joseph's 80-77 in Great Lakes Valley Conference women's basketball action.
         Sykes grabbed the ball after SJC's Whitney Cole tied the game with eight seconds left on the clock. Sykes pass halfcourt and aimed for what would be her fifth three-pointer of the night.
         Her success lifted SIUE to a 13-3 record and a 7-2 record in the GLVC. SJC fell to 4-11 overall and 1-6 in the GLVC.
         SIUE led at the beginning of Thursday's game on a Julianne McMillen jumper and once again at the end, but most of the rest of the game was all Saint Joseph's The Pumas opened up a 14-point lead in the first half as SIUE shot 33 percent in the half. SIUE was able to close the gap a bit to 34-25 by halftime.
         The Cougars chipped away at the lead and pulled within one on a layup by Allison Fogle at 12:31. Saint Joseph's never let SIUE take the lead at any point of the second half.
         Fogle hit an important three-pointer to cut the lead to one with 39 seconds left in regulation at 67-66. Fogle would foul Allison Hughes nine seconds later. Hughes missed her first free throw and made the second, giving the Pumas a 68-66 lead.
         Fogle put SIUE in position to win the game in regulation but missed the shot. Julianne McMillen was there for the rebound and putback, tying the game and sending it into overtime. SIUE had taken advantage of 19 offensive rebounds, outscoring the Pumas 24-6 in second-chance points.
         McMillen recorded a season-high 13 rebounds to go along with her 22 points. Amber Shelton, No. 2 in the GLVC in scoring, was held to just 12 points. Sykes was 7 of 21 from the field in the game and was a perfect 8 of 8 from the free throw line.
         Five Saint Joseph's players scored in double figures led by 16 points each from Megan Haag and Allison Hughes.
         SIUE next heads to Indianapolis for a 1 p.m. EST game Saturday. Indianapolis trounced Quincy 64-36 Thursday night and comes into Saturday's game with a 10-5 record overall and a 4-4 mark in the GLVC.
                  -siue cougars-