LEWISBURG, Pa. — Navy coach Stefanie Pemper said she thought it would take her team’s best game of the season to defeat Bucknell in the Patriot League women’s basketball tournament final Sunday.

The Mids gave her that, but it still wasn’t enough as Bucknell won, 79-71, in overtime.

“I don’t know that we played better than we did today,” Pemper said. “It wasn’t good enough, but we played well.”

A large part of why it wasn’t good enough was the play of Bucknell senior Claire DeBoer, the Patriot League Player of the Year. DeBoer scored 30 points, including a key 3-pointer in overtime, and added 10 rebounds.

“We are definitely heartbroken,” Pemper said. “We really believed in ourselves ... We just couldn’t get enough stops there at the end. It took a great, incredible effort by a good player in DeBoer to beat us. But I’m super proud of our team and their fight.”

Bucknell led 67-64 with 15 seconds left in regulation, but the Mids weren’t done.

Ashanti Kennedy hit a 3-pointer with 6.8 seconds left to tie the game.

“The original play was ran for Taylor [Dunham],” Kennedy said. “My man and her man both tried to double-team her. She kicked it out and I just put it up.”

Navy’s defense then kept the Bison from getting off a shot.

“I’ve watched a lot of Navy film,” Bucknell coach Aaron Roussell said. “I have a lot of respect for the way they play. I don’t know that I’ve seen them play better. Shot after shot after shot, those kids made play after play after play.”

In overtime, Bucknell turned to Kate Walker, who scored 14 points off the bench. She opened the extra period with a fast-break layup and then DeBoer hit a 3-pointer for a five-point Bucknell lead. Dunham made one free throw and Walker countered with a layup.

Hannah Fenske pulled Navy to within 74-71 with a long 3-pointer, but Walker again answered with a layup.

“Walker made some big plays in overtime,” Pemper said.

Bucknell then made three of four free throws and held Navy scoreless to close out the win.

“The loss [stinks], but everybody who stepped on the floor today put their best foot forward and tried their hardest,” Kennedy said.

Said Sarita Condie: “It definitely was not for lack of effort. They had quite a few players step up in big moments. They just made a couple more big plays than we did.”

Condie, who was Navy’s only selection to the all-tournament team, finished with a team-high 16 points. She made four of five 3-pointers after going 5-for-5 in the semifinal against Army. She set a program record with 20 made 3-pointers in Patriot League tournament games.

“Against both teams, I knew I wasn’t going to have a lot of windows to shoot,” Condie said. “I tried to take advantage of whatever openings I got. Throughout the season, I think every shot is going in. It just happened to happen this weekend.”

Despite the loss, the Mids’ season isn’t over. They will play in the women’s National Invitation Tournament; the participants and pairings will be announced tonight.