WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Like they've been for most of the season, SWOSU Women's Basketball was at their best late in the game as they outscored Northwestern Oklahoma State by six points in the fourth quarter to pick up the 81-76 rivalry victory on Thursday night at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
 
The Lady Bulldogs were forced to play behind for much of the game, falling behind by as many as eight points in the first quarter and they were trailing 53-47 with 1:06 to play in the third before closing to within one on a  Taber Beer three-pointer that made it 53-52 heading to the fourth.
 
SWOSU took the lead for good with 5:25 to play in the game on a three-pointer from Taylor Hedrick and they quickly pushed the lead to nine, 74-65 following three-pointers from Makyra Tramble and Maddie Sperle. Northwestern hung around in the closing minutes, getting to within three points with 21 seconds to play before Sperle hit a pair of free throws to secure the win.
 
Sperle led the way for SWOSU with 19 points while Beer chipped in 16 points in addition to five rebounds and five assists. Bethany Franks was one rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds and Tramble filled the statesheet with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks in 26 minutes of action off the bench.
 
Next up for the Lady Bulldogs is a rematch with #18 Southeastern Oklahoma State, the current conference leaders who defeated SWOSU 85-76 back on November 23rd in Durant. Tipoff of that game is set for 1:00 pm on Saturday afternoon.