ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Lady Rangers ended the spring semester with a victory over East Central Thursday evening. Northwestern used a strong opening quarter taking an early double digit lead before closing out the game with a dominating fourth quarter 17-3 to close out the 59-38 victory.
Northwestern improves to 6-5 on the season with a 3-2 conference record.
The Lady Rangers were led in scoring by Payton Jones with 20 points, who finished with a double double adding 11 rebounds. Jones had a team high four steals. Carly Craig led the team with four assists and was the other playing double figures with 15 points.
Two minutes into the game neither team scored until Payton Jones broke the scoreless drought with a two point jump shot assisted by Craig. Craig had her first steal as the Lady Rangers forced their second turnover in the early part of the game. The Tigers tied the game at 2-2 at the 7:30 mark of the quarter. Craig helped the Lady Rangers to a quick 5-0 run after a Craig three pointer following an offensive rebound by Kira Bass keeping the possession. Bass pushed the run to 7-0 with a putback layup off the offensive rebound. Jones pushed the Lady Rangers lead to double digits with her sixth point of the night. Northwestern extended the lead to 19-9 after a fantastic defensive quarter forcing six turnovers and a block. Craig drilled a three pointer for the 19-9 quarter lead.
The Tigers opened the second quarter with four straight points but Craig with her fourth first half three pointer pushed the lead back to nine and gave Craig 12 early points. Payton Jones pushed the Lady Ranger lead to the largest at that point in the game with a layup for the 27-15 lead with about three minutes left in the opening half. After her tenth point of the half for the 29-15 lead, East Central closed the half on a run trying to dive into the Lady Ranger lead. It was a 5-0 run for East Central as the Rangers held a 29-20 lead at the halftime break.
Tegan Jones hit her first shot of the game with a three pointer assisted by Camille Thomas for a 32-20 lead pushing the lead back to double digits. The teams went back and forth trading points as Kira Bass kept the Lady Ranger lead for the 36-25 lead. East Central cut back to seven points after a three pointer. Northwestern forced back to back misses when Payton Jones hit a three pointer for a 39-29 lead. The Tigers got as close as four bringing the score to 39-35 late in the third quarter. Tegan Jones slowed their run down with a jump shot for her fifth point of the night. Northwestern carried a seven point lead at 42-35 lead over the Tigers into the final quarter.
The fourth and final quarter was the Rangers most dominating quarter of the night holding the visitors to three points. Northwestern led 42-36 before starting the run. It was a 6-0 run to push the lead back to double digits before closing the game on an 11-0 run to control the game and close out the 21 point win. Northwestern held the Tigers to 1-15 shooting in the quarter while forcing five turnovers and two blocks. Tegan Jones hit a three pointer followed by a handful of foul shots before a Payton Jones layup pushed the lead to 20 and gave Jones 20 points on the evening. The Lady Rangers closed out the 59-38 win over East Central to close out the 2024 calendar year.
Northwestern will be back in action on the road on January 4th at Oklahoma Baptist for the beginning of three straight road games. The first home game of the 2025 calendar year is on January 16th.
