ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Emporia State Lady Hornets locked hands on the bench with 13.8 seconds left, perhaps knowing it was the final time they would get to do so.
All had their heads down. A few of them cried.
After two free throws by Kanani Marshal, the last few seconds ticked away, ending Emporia State’s season and six Lady Hornets’ careers in Texas A&M-Commerce’s 81-77 victory.
For only the second time in ESU history, the season ended with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss.
“The toughest day of every year is your final game,” ESU coach Brandon Schneider said, “where you have to look those (seniors) in the eye and you don’t know what to say to them.”
It was especially tough to know what to say after Friday’s game, as the Lady Hornets found themselves unable to stop the quick duo of Britney Jordan and Marshal.
Marshal finished with 27 points, making 5 of 8 three-point attempts, while Jordan had 21 points, 17 of which came in the second half.
“We tried as well as we could to keep them in front of us,” ESU guard Cassondra Boston said. “I feel that the people that were guarding them did as good of a job as they could.”
ESU still had its chances late, with the most frustrating stretch coming with 7:47 left in the game.
ESU junior Michelle Stueve hit a free throw to cut the deficit to 69-63, and Commerce — which played only seven players — started to show some signs of fatigue. The Lady Hornets held Commerce scoreless over the next 3 minutes, 49 seconds.
“That was a time for us to take the game over, take the lead,” Stueve said.
Instead, ESU failed to score itself during the stretch, going seven consecutive possessions without a point.
The Lady Hornets turned it over three times — with Tegan Stuart losing it twice — and the team missed four shots after that.
“We had two possessions where we threw it right to them,” Schneider said. “You can’t win with that kind of decision making.”
Jordan finally broke the scoreless streak, putting in a pair of free throws with 3:58 left to push Commerce’s lead to 71-63.
ESU’s final frantic rally down the stretch would come up short. A three-point play by Stueve cut the lead to 79-77 with 13.8 seconds left, but Marshal hit her two free throws to seal it.
“You can’t get into NCAA Tournament play and be timid or play not to lose,” Schneider said. “I felt that was our biggest downfall tonight.”
Stueve was one of the bright spots for ESU, scoring 33 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
She made 13 of 14 free-throw attempts but connected on just 9 of 25 shots from the field.
“In games like this — in tournament play — she’s going to need more help,” Schneider said.
Stueve’s 14 rebounds were the sixth-most in ESU’s NCAA Tournament history.
She had 39 points in last year’s opening round game against Tarleton State.
“That is a tremendous player,” Commerce coach Denny Downing said. “You guys witnessed one of the best players in Division-II basketball. We knew that, we just weren’t sure who else could step up.”
Carolyn Dorsey also stepped up for ESU, perhaps playing her best game as a Lady Hornet in what became her final outing.
The guard finished 5-of-5 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds in 24 minutes.
She also added a pair of steals and defended Marshal as well as any Lady Hornet did at the end of the first half.
The Lady Hornets were haunted by turnovers all night. ESU had 20 in the contest, with six of those coming from Stuart.
“We’re not accustomed to giving up 81 points a game, nor are we accustomed to turning it over 20 times,” Schneider said. “I think that’s a recipe for losing.”
Stuart, Dorsey, Casey Henningsen, Genae Glasper, Denisa Svarova and Shelby Chilson all played in their final game for ESU.
“I think it’s tough because they know they don’t have another chance,” Stueve said. “That’s the way sports are.”