Box Score
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas women's basketball team took on the Great American Conference's top-scoring team in Southwestern Oklahoma on Thursday night and a late surge by SWOSU held off a strong second-half comeback by SAU as the Lady Bulldogs eventually defeated the Lady Muleriders by a score of 86-71.
The Lady Muleriders (9-9, 5-7 GAC), who held several small leads early in the game, found themselves down by 14 points, 46-32, by the end of the first half thanks, in part, to a potent SWOSU offensive attack. In that first half, the Lady Bulldogs (11-6, 8-3 GAC) shot 64% (16-of-25) overall from the floor with five of those made field goals coming from beyond the arc. SWOSU also added nine points from the free throw line as they were 9-of-12 (75%).
The hot shooting that was on display in the first half would cool off some for the Lady Bulldogs in the second half as the Lady Muleriders began to claw their way back into the game.
Trailing by 13 points with 10:21 left in the second half, the Lady Muleriders would go on a 10-2 run over the next two minutes of the game to pull to within five points, 67-62. That five-point deficit was the closest the Lady Muleriders had been since the first half and would be the closest they would get as the Lady Bulldogs staved off the SAU threat.
Helping keep the Lady Muleriders at bay down the stretch was the Lady Bulldogs ability to hit free throws. Over the final 6:29 of the game, the Lady Bulldogs made 8-of-12 free throws. Additionally, the Lady Bulldogs forced six Lady Mulerider turnovers in that time.
The leading scorer for the Lady Muleriders was
Chanel Miller as she scored 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting. Behind Miller in scoring was
Aarika Reyna with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting. The leading rebounder was Mariam Ridgwell with eight boards. Copper led the team in assists with four.
The Lady Muleriders will remain on the road as they move on to Alva, Okla. to take on Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday, February 1. Tip-off for the game is set for 2 p.m.
