Box Score (html)
SHAWNEE, Okla. – SWOSU got 24 points and 16 rebounds from
Janae Coffee, but Oklahoma Baptist had three players record a double-double and outlasted the Lady Bulldogs 85-81 in overtime on Saturday afternoon. The defeat snaps SWOSU's five-game winning streak and keeps them tied for second place in the GAC standings.
SWOSU got going quickly by scoring the first nine points of the game and leading by as many as 12 in the first quarter and taking a 21-14 advantage after one. Oklahoma Baptist used a 16-2 run spanning both quarters to take a brief seven-point lead, but the Lady Bulldogs got things all knotted up with a late basket from
Jessica Penner that made it 36-36 at the break.
Oklahoma Baptist led for most of the third quarter, taking a five-point lead midway through the period, but that narrative would change in the fourth period. The teams were tied on five different occasions in the fourth, with
Hailey Tucker breaking a 62-62 deadlock with a long three-pointer with 3:33 to play. A three-point play by
Janae Coffee had SWOSU leading 69-67 with 1:55 to play and the Lady Dawgs had two more chances to extend their lead, but they were unable to and OBU scored to tie the game at 69-69 with 10 seconds remaining and force extra time.
In the extra period, SWOSU kept going to their post presence Coffee, who the Bison had been unable to contain. The Lady Bulldogs undoing, however, was at the free throw line where they made just 1-of-6 attempts in the extra session. SWOSU would have the lead on two occasions in overtime, but OBU hit seven of their final eight free throw attempts and held off the Lady Bulldogs 85-81.
Coffee was one of four Lady Bulldogs to reach double figures in scoring, totaling 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting to go along with 16 rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots.
Hailey Tucker chipped in 17 points, three rebounds and two blocks before fouling out in the waning moments while her freshman counterpart
Hayden Priddy added 16 points and seven rebounds.
Morgan Vogt also reached double figures with 10 points and she grabbed a career-best eight rebounds.
SWOSU (17-9, 13-7 GAC) sees their five-game winning streak snapped and they miss an opportunity to move into sole possession of second place in the GAC standings with Harding suffering their second straight defeat on Saturday. The Lady Bulldogs head to Arkansas to conclude the regular season and they'll face Henderson State next Thursday evening in Arkadelphia.
