DURANT, Okla. – Four players scored in double-figures for the Northwestern Oklahoma State University women's basketball team as the Lady Rangers dropped a Great American Conference contest on the road at Southeastern Oklahoma State, 77-66.
Northwestern's record fell to 4-6 overall this season and 1-2 in GAC play. The Lady Rangers will be back in action December 17 when they travel to Ada, Oklahoma to take on East Central (4-3, 1-2 GAC) in conference action.
Freshman Presley Payahsape recorded her top scoring game in her young career with 15 points to lead the Lady Rangers in Saturday's contest. Other Lady Rangers that finished in double-digits were Jade Jones with 12 points, while Bailey Brown and Kenzie Lamer each finished with 10 points.
Lamer, who entered the game with three points on the season, knocked down three shots from behind the arc and played a season high 13 minutes.
Northwestern outrebounded the Savage Storm 35-31, led by Brown and Kalea King with eight boards each.
The Lady Rangers' offense came out rolling in the first quarter as they scored the first eight points in game action. The tone was set early in the quarter and the Lady Rangers continued to slowly stretch its lead, capped by a long three-pointer at the buzzer to close the quarter by Kyleigh Leverich.
Already leading the game 25-14 to start the second quarter, King found a wide open Payahsape who knocked down a three to make it a 14 point Lady Ranger lead just 30 seconds into the second. Jakeria Otey then added a free-throw to give the visitors their largest lead of the first half.
However, the momentum swung in the direction of Southeastern as the first half wound down. The Savage Storm finished the second quarter on a16-5 run to make it a 36-33 ballgame heading into the locker rooms.
Coming out into the second half, the Savage Storm quickly tied the game at 36 before Jade Jones hit a floater to regain the lead. From that point, the Lady Rangers went on a 13-2 run to take a 49-38 lead midway through the third period. Unfortunately the Savage Storm answered with an 18-4 spurt of their own to take a 66-53 in the final seconds of the quarter.
Northwestern wasn't able to get anything to fall in the final 10 minutes of play as the team finished 2-for-10 shooting in the fourth, but was perfect at the free-throw line in seven attempts.
The Lady Rangers entered the game shooting over 73-percent from the line, third best in the conference. They knocked down 13-for-14 in Saturday's game.
For the latest news and updates on NWOSU Women's Basketball, follow @NWOSUAthletics on TWITTER or visit www.riderangersride.com.
