A double overtime thriller saw the Northwest College women’s basketball team’s season come to a close in Cabre Gym on Saturday, as Eastern Wyoming outlasted the host Trappers 63-56.

EASTERN WYOMING 63, NORTHWEST 56 (2OT)

After splitting the regular season series the Trappers (17-14) and Lancers (15-16) took to the court for the rubber match.

Northwest started out strong, holding a 10-6 lead and flustering the visitors early.

Eastern found a better groove to end the first quarter as the two teams were deadlocked going into the second at 15.

Neither team found separation in the second quarter, as the two were tied at 22 midway through the frame.

Taylee Carlson’s 3-pointer gave the Trappers the lead back with two minutes left, and a small 5-0 run ended the half for Northwest to lead 27-22 at the break.

Northwest carried that lead through the midway point of the third quarter, up 36-31.

Unfortunately for the Trappers, the Lancers continued to answer and kept the hosts from pulling away, ending the third quarter with an 8-3 stretch and tying the contest at 39 going to the final frame.

Northwest started the final quarter with a 6-0 run, but the Lancers slowly answered and eventually the game was tied once more.

“We got up a couple times and I thought, ‘OK, we’re gonna put the pedal down here a little bit,’” coach Cody Helenbolt said. “Stupid mistakes, where just little things (screwed us up).”

It continued to be deadlocked until the end, and the Lancers took the lead late with free throws.

Northwest answered via a Jai’La Porter jumper with 16 seconds left and Eastern had a chance to win.

The Lancers turned the ball over, and gave the Trappers one last chance with six seconds left.

Bianca Silva got a shot off, but did not convert and the game went to overtime tied at 49.

Overtime followed along the same path as the prior 40 minutes, as neither team created separation and continually answered each other.

Eastern again took the lead late, but the Trappers answered with a Tayva Phillips jumper with five seconds remaining.

Again, the Trappers forced a turnover but Emma Pique’s half-court shot was too strong and the teams went to a second overtime tied at 55.

“We had two chances at the buzzer to win it. One was a half-court shot from our best half-court shooter because we practice those sometimes, and then Bianca (Silva), our best player, has the ball in her hands to win it,” Helenbolt said.

Free throws were the only points scored in the second overtime, and proved to be the difference in the contest as the Lancers scored eight free throws compared to one for the Trappers for the 63-56 win.

Eastern shot 20-27 (74.1%) from the free throw line while Northwest shot 4-11 (36.4%), as both teams shot below 30% from the field overall in the game.

“We’ve been top 25 in the nation in free throw percentage all year. Just completely out of character for us to not make free throws,” Helenbolt said. “We didn’t get to the free throw line very much, we attacked the hoop all game long, and couldn’t get ourselves to the line.”

Silva led with 13 points, 11 rebounds and tied for the team lead with seven assists alongside Tayva Phillips.

Pique chipped in 11 points and tied for the team lead in steals with five alongside Phillips.

Porter added 11 points as the final Trapper in double figures.

Eastern Wyoming advanced to the Region IX Tournament in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, taking on host Western Nebraska in the quarterfinal round.

“Kind of a weird way to end the year, because you’re just kind of torn,” Helenbolt said. “You’re proud of the season you had in one sense, but you know that those losses in close games always kind of stick with you a little bit more.”

Northwest will now head into the first full offseason under Helenbolt, as the Trappers will need to replace six outgoing sophomores.

EASTERN WYOMING 63, NORTHWEST 56 (2OT)

Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()

Points — Bianca Silva 13, Emma Pique 11, Jai’La Porter 11, Tayva Phillips 7, Taylee Carlson 6, Kelsi Nicholson 4, Carolina Ruiz 4

Rebounds — Bianca Silva 11 (3), Tayva Phillips 7 (2), Taylee Carlson 6, Emma Pique 4 (1), Jai’La Porter 4, Carolina Ruiz 3 (2)

Assists — Tayva Phillips 7, Bianca Silva 7, Elise Swan 1, Selen Ucak 1

Steals — Emma Pique 5, Tayva Phillips 5, Jai’La Porter 1, Kelsi Nicholson 1, Bianca Silva 1, Taylee Carlson 1

Blocks — Emma Pique 1, Taylee Carlson 1