RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – With a tournament seven seed a stake Thursday night, the Northwestern Oklahoma State University fell just short of its first win in Russellville, Arkansas, as the Lady Rangers dropped a Great American Conference game at Arkansas Tech, 70-67.
Northwestern dropped to 12-16 overall and 9-12 in conference play with the loss. The Lady Rangers now know their opponent in the GAC Championship Tournament as they will take on rival Southwestern next Thursday in the one-versus-eight matchup of the tournament, played in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
The regular season will come to a close for Northwestern Saturday afternoon with a matchup against Harding in Searcy, Arkansas. Tipoff against the Lady Bisons is set for 1 p.m.
Northwestern entered Thursday night's game at Arkansas Tech seeking its first win inside the Tucker Coliseum on the ATU campus. The Lady Rangers had a great shot at earning the victory after Presley Payahsape hit a three on the first possession of the third quarter to give NWOSU a 12-point lead.
Unfortunately, over the next five minutes, the Golden Suns went on a 15-2 run to take its first lead of the second half after Hannah Villenes hit a three to make it 42-40. Jade Jones quickly answered on the Northwestern end with a three to retake the lead.
Yet again, the home team took the lead before Payahsape tilted the scoreboard back towards the Lady Rangers with a jumper, assisted by Bailey Brown. Kenzie Lamer made it a four-point lead with 24 seconds to go in the third quarter, but ATU got a three at the buzzer to make it 48-47 Rangers heading to the fourth quarter.
Arkansas Tech took the lead early in the fourth and held on to its advantage until the 6:53 mark when Kalea King was fouled on a layup, knocking down the free throw for a three-point play and tie the game at 52.
King led Northwestern with 18 points.
Bailey Brown had 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists, including a big assist with less than a minute remaining when she found Payahsape wide open for a three to go her team a 67-66 lead. Payahsape hit three baskets from beyond the arc for 13 points in the game.
The Golden Suns answered with a layup, and following a turnover as time was winding down, the home team got a couple of free-throws to seal the game.
Jade Jones had 12 points in the game, Deja Beechum added six points and Lamer had her three-pointer.
The game was close through about the first 12 minutes, before the Lady Ranger defense buckled down to hold Arkansas Tech to three points in the last eight minutes of the first. Northwestern went on an 18-3 run during that span to carry a 35-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Known as a three-point shooting team, the Lady Rangers worked hard to get to the rim, not hitting a three-point basket during the run. With 20 seconds to go in the half, Beechum took the ball away from Alicia Mardis for an easy fast break layup for the nine-point halftime lead.
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