WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Women's Basketball won its second consecutive game Saturday afternoon, defending the game-deciding possession in the final seconds to hold off East Central and secure a 61-60 victory.
The Tigers had a chance to take the lead in the closing moments after forcing a SWOSU turnover on an inbounds play, but the Lady Bulldogs delivered when it mattered most. SWOSU's defense locked in on the final possession and came away with the stop needed to preserve the one-point win.
The opening quarter set the tone for a back-and-forth battle, as neither team led by more than two possessions. Piper Patterson helped spark SWOSU offensively, knocking down a pair of three-pointers as the Lady Bulldogs shot 47% in the first 10 minutes.
SWOSU began to build separation in the second quarter with four forced turnovers and another strong stretch on the offensive end. The Lady Bulldogs carried a 34-28 lead into halftime after holding ECU scoreless over the final 2:50 of the half. Sincere Jackson reached double figures by the break to pace SWOSU.
The Lady Bulldogs opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run, but East Central responded to keep the game tight. Both teams played even after the initial surge in what turned into the highest-scoring quarter of the afternoon. SWOSU maintained its advantage and led 53-47 entering the fourth.
SWOSU pushed the lead to as many as 12 early in the final period before the Tigers stormed back late. East Central used a 10-1 run beginning at the 5:05 mark to pull within striking distance, capitalizing as SWOSU missed nine of its final 10 shots from the field. The Lady Bulldogs were held scoreless over the final 2:32, allowing the Tigers to inch within one possession and set up a dramatic finish, but SWOSU's defense stood tall on the final sequence to close out the win.
SWOSU shot nearly 45% in the first half but cooled to 36.5% by the final horn, including a 3-for-15 (20%) showing in the fourth quarter. East Central also struggled to find consistency offensively, finishing the afternoon shooting 34.5% from the field and 6-of-16 from three-point range. The Tigers did much of their late damage at the foul line, going 7-for-10 in the fourth. SWOSU countered by knocking down seven three-pointers, finishing 7-for-17 from beyond the arc to match its second-most made triples of the season.
Jackson led SWOSU with 18 points and added eight rebounds, knocking down multiple three-pointers for the first time this season. Landry Allen narrowly missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds, while also recording five blocks and two steals. Patterson turned in a season-high 10 points on an efficient 3-for-4 shooting performance including a pair of made free throws.
SWOSU was edged on the glass 44-41 and finished with 13 turnovers, one more than East Central's 12.
With the win, SWOSU improves to 5-6 overall and 3-3 in Great American Conference play. The Lady Bulldogs remain at home next week, hosting Henderson State on Thursday, January 8, and Ouachita Baptist on Saturday, January 10.
