Taylor, 3-point shooting lead Storm to overtime win, tournament title

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- Jenna Taylor scored a game-high 32 points, the Simpson women's basketball team set a school record with 16 3-pointers, and the Storm beat Saint Benedict 84-80 in overtime Saturday to win the Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament.

Janey Botkins scored 17 points and Cameron Kincaid added 11 for the Storm (3-0), who went 16-for-34 from downtown. Taylor went 5-for-8 from 3-point range and Botkins went 5-for-11.

Taylor earned Tournament MVP honors and Kincaid was named to the All-Tournament team.

Botkins hit a pair of free throws to put Simpson ahead 81-80 with 1:20 left in overtime. Kincaid nailed the team's record-setting 3 on the next possession for the final margin.

Simpson trailed by three on three occasions during the overtime period.

Taylor answered Megan Thompson's 3 to start the overtime with a jumper. Saint Benedict extended the lead to 77-74 before Rachel Freland made a 3 to tie it with 3:40 left. Sidney Schiffler gave the Blazers (2-1) an 80-77 lead with a 3, but Taylor pulled Simpson within one on a jumper with 2:52 left. Botkins drew a foul to set up the game-tying free throws and Saint Benedict didn't score again.

Maddie Schmitz scored 22 points and Alex Johnson had 18 and 10 rebounds to lead Saint Benedict.

Simpson raced out to a 28-19 lead at the end of the first quarter thanks in large part to Taylor, who scored 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Saint Benedict crawled back into the game, but trailed by four after Claire Johnson's layup 3:25 left. A pair of Alex Johnson layups -- the second with 1 second left -- forced overtime.

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The Storm are off until conference play opens Wednesday, Nov. 28 at Wartburg. Start time is set for 6 p.m. in Waverly.