SHAWNEE, Okla. – A 27-16 run from Southern Arkansas in the final quarter of Thursday night's Great American Conference matchup with league-newcomer Oklahoma Baptist was not enough to top the Bison as the Lady Muleriders dropped their first road game of the season, 89-81, inside the Noble Complex.
 
Senior forward Rosa Bryant led the way for the Lady Muleriders (7-2, 3-2 GAC) with her eighth double-double of the season as she delivered with 20 points and ten rebounds, while classmate guard Tierra Tucker added a season-high 14 points.
 
Southern Arkansas shot over 50% from the floor, but connected on only 53% (8-15) of their free throw attempts, while the Bison shot just shy of 80% (19-24) from the stripe.
 
SAU trailed by three after the first frame of action, 27-24, while their largest lead of the opening period was five and came at the 4:49 mark after a Bryant layup made it 16-11 Lady Muleriders. OBU scored twice within the final minute to take the aforementioned lead into the second period where their advantage blossomed to as much as a dozen points before taking a 51-41 lead into the break.
 
Oklahoma Baptist pushed their lead to 20 in the third period as they leaned heavily on their inside game as they outscored SAU 12-4 in the paint in the third stanza.
 
The Lady Muleriders made a late push in the fourth period as an 18 point OBU lead quickly went to ten points as Bryant scored a pair of buckets and a free throw, while sophomore Rachel Medina drained one of her three trifectas on the night to bring SAU within striking distance at 81-71 with 1:58 left.
 
OBU sealed the game by shooting 8-of-10 from the charity stripe in the final minute and a half of action as Southern Arkansas was only able to cut the deficit to eight.
 
Medina and junior guard Caroline Ficher each finished with nine points, while freshman guard Jaida Harden finished with career-highs in assists with nine and minutes played with 26.
 
The Lady Muleriders will remain on the road as they prepare for a trip into Bethany, Oklahoma, for a 1 p.m. tip-off with Southern Nazarene on Saturday, January 9. Be sure to visit muleriderathletics.com for continuing coverage of Lady Mulerider basketball.