After one of its best starts to a season in five years, the St. Catherine University basketball team hoped it could close out the 2014 portion of the year with a win before returning to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play in 2015. For the first time in since 2012-13, the Wildcats found themselves with a chance to win in overtime, but couldn't hold off the Concordia University Chicago Cougars that pulled away for a 87-78 win Tuesday afternoon at the Butler Center.

The Wildcats' loss came after being out-rebounded by the Cougars 53-35 despite putting together its best shooting game of the season going 44.4 percent from the field. The Cougars were flawless, though, going 3-for-3 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the extra five minutes to force the Wildcats to wait until the new year for a chance at a win.

The two teams exchanged points throughout the opening six minutes until the Wildcats took a 15-12 lead – their largest of the game and final lead until OT – at the 14:35 mark of the first half. The Cougars responded immediately going on a 13-0 run over the next 3:02 to take a 10-point lead with just over 11 minutes remaining in the half. Before the half, the Cougars pushed their lead to 12 but allowed the Wildcats to make it 44-36 at the halfway mark.

In the second half, the Cougars managed to maintain their lead, but slowly allowed the Wildcats to chip their way back into the game pulling within three points with 14:50 remaining. Less than a minute later, the Cougars went on a 7-0 run to regain a double-digit lead over the Wildcats. With 4:04 left in regulation, the Wildcats finally pulled within one with a critical jumper by the team's leading scorer on the day Mari Lee (Dawson, Minn./Dawson-Boyd).

The Cougars were able to push their lead back to six, but allowed the Wildcats to claw back in thanks to some critical defensive stops. With just five seconds remaining, Audra Clark (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) cut inside to sink a ,layup that tied the game at 73-73 forcing extra minutes. Lee scored the opening basket of OT, but that was the only shot the Wildcats would make from the field before eventually suffering their fourth loss of the season.

Lee posted a career-high 17 points to lead the Wildcats on an impressive shooting day. The sophomore was 8-of-10 from the field and added four rebounds, one steal and two of the team's 10 blocks. This was also Lee's third double-digit scoring performance of the season.

LaShay Holt (Minneapolis, Minn./Humboldt) recorded her fifth double-double of the season – and eighth of her career – with 13 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. She also had three assists, two blocks and two steals.

Clark had one of her best games of the season with 16 points and a career- and game-high nine assists. She stuffed her stat line with six rebounds, a game-high four steals and two blocks.

Mary Neumann (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) came off the bench for three 3-pointers for a season-high 11 points for the senior. She also added a rebound, block, assist and a steal.

For the Cougars, Morgan Jahnke tallied a double-double with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaela DeJean and Angelik Young each had 11 points. Shania Kiser had a game-high 11 rebounds.

With the loss the Wildcats fall to 6-4 on the season. They return to MIAC action Saturday with a home game against Augsburg College. Game time is set for 3 p.m. in the Butler Center.,

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