SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - The Marian University women's basketball team opened its 2009-10 Mid-Central College Conference season on the road at Spring Arbor University on Tuesday night and pulled off a 50-49 overtime victory to win its second straight contest.

Senior Molly Lauck (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove) hit a layup with three seconds to go in overtime to send the Knights to their second straight victory, 60-59, and bring their record to 2-4 on the season and 1-0 in MCC play.

The two teams battled in a close affair throughout the first half as there were three ties and six lead changes in the first 20 minutes.

The Cougars broke open a three-point lead, their largest of the half, at the 9:13 mark, but senior Theresa Fairbrother (Danville, Ind./Danville) buried a three-pointer to knot the score, 14-14. That bucket ignited an 8-2 Knights run to put them in front, 22-16, with 3:29 to go in the first half. An SAU three-pointer with 3:08 to go cut the lead to three, 22-19, heading into the locker room at halftime.

After the Knights tallied a three-pointer to open the second half, the Cougars went on a 6-1 run to cut the lead to one, 26-25, with 17:22 to go in the game. However, a 6-0 Knights run was ignited by freshman Amie Larkins (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) to put the Knights in front by seven, 32-25, with 14:54 to go.

They eventually pushed the lead to 10, 42-32, with 9:32 to go before a 9-0 SAU run cut the lead back to one, 42-41, with 2:41 to go. A three-pointer by sophomore transfer Nikki Schmidt (Avon, Ind./Avon) snapped the 9-0 run with a three-pointer to give the Knights a four-point lead, 45-41, with 1:46 remaining.

The Cougars then scored the last four points on free throws, including two with four seconds to go, to tie the score and send the game to overtime.

The Knights out-scored the Cougars, 5-4, in overtime and Lauck's bucket snatched the 50-49 win for the Knights. It is the second straight season the game at Spring Arbor was decided on a last second shot.

Schmidt finished 5-for-7 from three-point range to lead the Knights with a game-high 16 points. Fairbrother finished with eight points and a game-high five assists.

The Knights get back on the court as part of a men's/women's doubleheader on Saturday when they head to Grand Rapids, Mich., for a 1 p.m. tip off against Kuyper College.