USAO’s women’s basketball team (9-4, 5-2 SAC) hosted their second home game of the new year against Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU) (1-9, 1-6 SAC).
OPSU put the first points on the board with a pair of made free throws in the first quarter. USAO quickly responded with three shots in the paint and two free throws, putting USAO up 8-4. This would be the largest lead USAO held throughout the entire game. By the end of the first, the Aggies had stolen the lead back with a score of 12-11.
Lainey Morrow, a senior forward, tied the game up with a made free throw. Morrow is currently shooting 87.8% from the free throw line in conference matchups. However, the Aggies exploded in response throwing up nine points, including a three pointer from Diana Santos. The Drovers made added ten points in the last six minutes of play through four shots in the paint and four free throws from Trinitee Alexander, Jordan Bloomfield, Diaka Berete, and Toni Fortune. By halftime, OPSU led with a score of 30-25.
The third quarter saw multiple shots from both sides, with neither team running away with the lead. OPSU saw their biggest lead of the game in the last 30 seconds of the quarter with a score of 48-38. In the last few seconds, Mikayla Green, a junior guard, added another two points to the board.
The final quarter of the game started with a number of substitutions from both teams. USAO’s first four points of the quarter came from free throws by Alexander and Morrow. Moments later, Bloomfield stepped behind the line and busted a three-pointer to make the score 53-47, still in favor of the Aggies.
The last 45 seconds of the game was tense as both teams had a chance to win the game, OPSU kept their longtime lead with a score of 55-51. Bryanna Polk, a senior guard, added one point from a free throw. OPSU’s Sierra Tate and Heidi Rodriguez responded with four of their own free throws, which sealed the deal for the Aggies. The final score was 60-52, which gave OPSU their first win of the season.
USAO shot 16-63 (.254) from the field, 2-22 (.091) from behind the arc, and 18-26 (.692) from the charity stripe. OPSU surpassed the Drovers across those three categories, as they shot 41.7% from the field and from behind the arc, and 83.3% from the free throw line. USAO outrebounded the Aggies by one, with 41 rebounds.
Fortune, one of the first players off USAO’s bench, was the team’s highest scorers and highest of the game with 13 points. Morrow followed closely with 11 points. The team recorded five blocks, with Morrow claiming two. USAO also earned seven steals, with Polk and Fortune snatching two each. Fortune also recorded nine rebounds.
The Drovers will be on the road as they travel to Central Christian College Thursday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. USAO will continue their stretch of road games as they travel to Langston University Saturday, Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. Finally, the Drover Fieldhouse will be packed again Thursday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. against Oklahoma City University.
Emily Loughridge is a third-year Communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
