MAGNOLIA, ARKANSAS - Northwestern Oklahoma State Lady Rangers closed out their fifth straight victory as Northwestern closed out a 57-53 victory in a defensive battle. The Lady Rangers defense forced 21 turnovers in the victory over Southern Arkansas.
The win improves the Lady Rangers to 13-1 on the season with a 5-1 Great American Conference record.
Northwestern was led by Faith Simpson and Camille Thomas combining for 45 points in the victory, as Simpson had 25 points and Thomas finished with 20. Simpson earned a double-double as she added 14 rebounds in the game.
The Lady Rangers opened the game with their first points from Camille Thomas who scored the first six points in the game, as back to back scoring possession came off of Southern Arkansas turnovers. It took three and a half minutes before the Muleriders got on the board following a Riley Stanford three pointer to cut the deficit in half, as she hit back to back threes to the game. This started an 11-0 run for the Muleriders as they took a 11-6 lead. Camille Thomas ended the run though with her eighth point following a timeout as Simpson picked up her third assist. Thomas continued to control the game early on tying the game at 11-11 as she had the first 11 points for the Rangers.
Northwestern regained the lead and pushed it back to six at 17-11 following an 11-0 run of their own as Talyah Thomas and Faith Simpson hit back to back shots. Southern Arkansas though scored nine straight to take a 20-17 lead by Nikya Orange had a layup assisted by Carly Craig, The Muleriders took a 22-19 lead at the end of the first as Diamond Morris made a layup right before time expired.
Simpson opened the second quarter with a three point play making a layup while drawing contact and finishing with a foul shot for a 22-22 game. As the Lady Rangers trailed by one Camille Thomas regained the lead with a three point play as Thomas drew the foul finishing the layup and went to the line hitting the foul shot. A 9-0 run by the Lady Rangers put Northwestern in front by 10, their largest lead at the time as Simpson hit a layup with 2:17 left in the half.
Southern Arkansas closed the half on a 5-0 run to cut their deficit in half at 38-33 heading into the break.
Southern Arkansas continued their run into the third quarter as they regained the lead starting the half on a 8-0 run and a 13-0 overall going back to the second quarter. Simpson ended the run with a layup before Craig hit a three pointer with 6:09 remaining in the quarter bringing Northwestern back within two at 45-43.
The Lady Rangers went three minutes late in the quarter without a point before a layup by Simpson for her 19th point of the game tied the score with 1:39 remaining in the quarter. Simpson was able to grab two more points before the quarter buzzer sounded for a 49-47 lead heading into the fourth quarter.Â
Camille Thomas hit the first shot in the fourth quarter taking a four point lead and building it to a six point lead before Southern Arkansas scored their first points of the quarter with 7:24 left in the fourth quarter.
A three pointer by Addy Tremie tied it at 53-53 with 3:43 left in the game before Northwestern's defense held the Muleriders scoreless the rest of the way. Simpson had two layups in the final two minutes that pushed the Lady Rangers to the 57-53 victory over Southern Arkansas.
The Lady Rangers following the road trip will return home for two games next week, the first against Ouachita Baptist on Thursday evening before facing Henderson State on Saturday afternoon.
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