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Box Score (html)
 
ALVA, Okla. – SWOSU Women's Basketball doubled up Northwestern's score in the first half and went on to defeat the Lady Rangers 85-74 inside Percefull Fieldhouse on Monday night. The victory secures the Lady Bulldogs at least a share of the Great American Conference regular season championship which they can claim outright with a win in their final two games.
 
In the first half, it was the defense that gave Northwestern fits after SWOSU forced 13 turnovers in the game's first two quarters. The intensity on the defensive end, paired with efficient possessions on offense and six made three-point shots allowed the Lady Dawgs to open up leads of 30-15 at the end of the first quarter and 52-26 into the halftime locker room.
 
Out of the locker room, the Lady Rangers upped their play and began the climb back into the ball game by outscoring SWOSU by four in the third quarter – trailing 69-47 headed into the final 10 minute session.
 
Northwestern then used a 10-0 run to start the fourth quarter, cutting the margin to 69-57 with 6:17 left to play. SWOSU called a timeout to collect composure, and then answered by extending their lead back to 15 points with a made bucket by Taylor Hedrick.  
 
The Lady Rangers were able to cut the game to single digits and trail by as few as nine points on two occasions, but solid free throw shooting down the stretch by SWOSU never allowed Northwestern a chance to complete their second half comeback.
 
Turnovers were a problem for both sides on Monday, but it was the Lady Dawgs who capitalized on them by scoring 22 points off of 18 NWOSU giveaways. SWOSU turned the ball over 17 times themselves, but buckled down back on defense to only allow 10 points off of those mistakes.
 
SWOSU finished 46.2% (24-of-52) from the field in the game and 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, compared to 42.9% (27-of-63) from Northwestern and 3-of-13 from three. All six three point shots SWOSU connected on came in the first half, as the Dawgs went a cold 0-for-5 from deep in the final 20 minutes.
 
All five starters for SWOSU finished in double figures and accounted for 75 of the 85 points on the night. Hailey Tucker led the way for SWOSU with 24 points, including 16 in the first half on 4-of-5 from the three-point line. Tyra Aska was next with 16 points, followed by Hayden Priddy and Taylor Hedrick who both had 12. Bethany Franks rounded out the starting five with 11 points.  
 
With the win, SWOSU claims the No. 1 seed in the GAC Tournament and a share of the regular season conference title. Holding all tiebreakers with Arkansas Tech who sits in second place, the Lady Dawgs just need one win in the final two games to secure themselves the outright league title.
 
SWOSU (24-2, 19-1 GAC) will host Oklahoma Baptist on Wednesday night at 5:30 pm inside Pioneer Cellular Event Center where they will honor Penina Faumui and Shalie McAlister on Senior Night.