Alva, Okla.- The Lady Rangers returned to action Saturday afternoon as they closed out their first conference victory of the season with a 71-68 victory over the Savage Storm. Northwestern used a 13-2 third quarter into the fourth-quarter run to take control of the game before closing out the win.
The Red-and-Black improves to 5-5 on the season with a 1-3 conference record, while Southeastern falls to 3-7 with a 1-3 conference record.
Northwestern was led by Bailey Brown offensively with 22 points as one of four players to reach double figures. Kinsey Neiderer was second with 17 points hitting five three-pointers in the game. Josena Frame finished with 11 points, and Carly Craig completed the game with 10 points. Brown led the team with nine rebounds and seven assists.
Scout Frame reached a milestone with a jump shot in the fourth quarter giving her 1,500 career points in her college career.
The opening quarter took each team a few minutes to find some rhythm as the Savage Storm scored the first basket of the game close to two minutes into the game. Neiderer hit her first three of the game three minutes into the contest to give the Lady Rangers their first lead of the game. Craig followed with a three as the two teams were locked at six points halfway through the opening quarter. Craig's second three of the quarter, followed by a Thomas layup, helped the Lady Rangers close the opening quarter on a 5-0 run to take a 15-12 opening quarter lead at the end of the first.
With the score locked at 16-16, Moon of Southeastern would hit a go in a front three-pointer. Southeastern would continue to take advantage of a slow second quarter start as Northwestern would not hit their first field goal of the quarter until the 4:10 mark on a Brown layup as Southeastern would complete a 13-1 run to take a 25-16 lead. The Storm pushed their first double-digit lead to 29-19. The Lady Rangers, though, would answer back by closing the quarter on a 10-2 run led by Camille Thomas jumper from the elbow closed off by a Neirder three to bring the Rangers back within two at the break.
Southeastern held a 31-29 advantage at the break over Northwestern.
Northwestern started the 2nd half where they left as Brown hit two foul shots to tie the game at 31. Southeastern responded with four quick points before a Neiderer three ended any hope of the Savage Storm pulling away. The Storm led 35-34. A Craig layup would tie the game back at 39-39 halfway through the third quarter. The game would go through a two-minute scoring drought down to the four-minute mark of the quarter before Southeastern regained the lead. A Grace Alverson three put the Storm up 47-42 before the Lady Rangers stormed back to take control of the game. A Brown layup started a 9-2 run for Northwestern as the Lady Rangers pushed in front 51-49 at the end of the third quarter.
Brown and S.Frame continued to run for the Rangers, going on a 13-2 run in total as a Frame jump shot with eight minutes to go put the Lady Rangers up 55-49. On that jump shot, Frame reached 1,500 points in her collegiate career. A Moon three brought Southeastern back within two points, but J.Frame ended their comeback bid with a jump shot. A Brown jump shot stretched the Lady Rangers lead to seven points with just over two minutes to go in the game.
Josena Frame would hit three straight foul shots to seal the Lady Ranger victory as it pushed their lead to 71-66 with under ten seconds to go. Southeastern would hit a layup in the closing seconds before stealing the ball, but the Lady Ranger defense forced a missed three. Northwestern would hold on for a 71-68 victory over Southeastern.
The Lady Rangers will have some time off over winter break. They will return to action on December 30th in Arkansas as Northwestern takes on Southern Arkansas to continue conference play.
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