CHICAGO—The Illinois Institute of Technology women's basketball team hosted Rockford University in a Saturday-afternoon bout at the Keating Sports Center. Shannon O'Donnell tallied her seventh double double of 2019-20 with a season-high 30 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to propel IIT in a 70-63 2OT heartbreaking loss. This marked the Scarlet Hawks' first overtime game since January 13, 2015 when they lost 72-68 to Mount Mary.

The Scarlet Hawks fall to 0-16, 0-11 NACC while Rockford improves to 3-14, 0-12 NACC.

O'Donnell, who tallied six assists, nearly scored half of IIT's points while Meredith Williams notched a season-high 13 points and six rebounds. Brooke Rowan was effective with nine points and five boards while Erin Efimoff notched a game-high 11 rebounds. 

The Scarlet Hawks registered a 23-66 (.348) shooting mark while Rockford managed just a 20-65 (.308) figure. IIT also held advantages in rebounding (53-42) and blocks (3-0) and nearly matched Rockford's 16 assists with 15 of their own.

Regulation featured five lead changes. The fifth one occurred with 2:00 left in regulation when Linzy Keller hit a pair of free throws to give Rockford a 54-53 lead. Meredith Williams evened the score at 54-54 with 1:37 left in the game when she drew a foul underneath and sank a free throw. 

The contest finished with seven lead changes. The Scarlet Hawks engineered the sixth lead change with a 5-0 run to open overtime, capped by Erin Efimoff's free throw with 1:41 left in the first extra session to make the score 59-54. The Regents closed the frame with a 5-0 run to knot the game at 59-59 heading into double overtime. 

The second overtime didn't fall in IIT's favor as Rockford held them to 0-6 from the field, which helped them outscore IIT 11-4 in the frame en route to a 70-63 win.

The Scarlet Hawks will return to action on Tuesday, January 28 at MSOE for a 7:00 p.m. start.