ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Lady Rangers upset number #5/3 Harding on Thursday evening behind a 61-56 victory over the Bisons. Northwestern used a strong fourth quarter outscoring Harding by nine to steal the victory and home.
The Lady Rangers improve to 22-5 on the season with a 14-5 conference record and stay undefeated at home with a 12-0 record. That is now 15 straight home wins. This is the first Lady Rangers victory over a top five team since joining division II history.Â
Faith Simpson led the way for the Lady Rangers with 20 points, one of four double figure scorers Thursday joined by Carly Craig with 14, Payton Jones with 12 and Talayah Thomas with 11 points. Simpson finishes with a double double adding 12 rebounds for a team high.Â
Simpson started the scoring Thursday with a layup assisted by Carly Craig for the early lead. Northwestern's defense held strong throughout the opening quarter keeping the Bisons scoreless through the first two and half minutes of the game. The game was tied 4-4 through the opening six minutes of the game before Craig buried a three pointer to regain the lead. Talayah Thomas finished a layup for a quick 5-0 run and her first points. Harding answered with a 6-0 run to take a 13-11 lead before Nikya Orange tied the game at the buzzer of the first quarter for a 13-13 game through the opening 10 minutes.Â
The Bisons started the second quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 21-13 lead following a Sage Hawley shot inside the paint. Harding then extended it to their largest lead at the time of nine points at 26-17. Northwestern trailed by nine at 28-19 before closing the second quarter on a 6-0 run and bringing the game back to one possession going into halftime. Payton Jones scored four straight points before the Lady Rangers defense forced two turnovers on shot clock violations and a missed three pointer before a shot by Talayah Thomas off an offensive rebound sent the game into halftime at 28-25.
A minute and half scoreless into the third quarter before Simpson ended that with a layup off a Craig steal leading to the basket bringing the Lady Rangers back within one. Harding got their lead back to six but this time Craig hit a jump shot off her own steal ending the Bisons run. As the Lady Rangers trailed by seven Payton Jones drilled a big three pointer to bring the Lady Rangers onto a 5-0 run after Simpson jump shot had Northwestern back within two. Harding hit a shot with a minute left as they carried a four point lead into the final quarter.Â
Payton Jones opened the fourth quarter with her second three pointer of the game to bring the Lady Rangers within one to start the quarter. Harding kept answering as Northwestern had the game back within one three different times in the opening five minutes of the quarter. It was the 5:24 mark of the fourth quarter as Faith Simpson hit a layup in the paint assisted by Payton Jones giving Northwestern their first lead of the game since the first quarter at 47-46. The run continued after two more from Simpson for an 8-0 run and a 49-46 lead with just under five minutes to play.Â
The Lady Rangers were holding a two point lead with two minutes to play when Craig passed it to Talayah Thomas as Thomas hit a three pointer to give the Lady Rangers a two possession lead with a minute and a half to play. Harding answered a few times to bring Northwestern's lead to one possession but the Lady Rangers took care of the game at the foul line late hitting five straight foul shots and five of six to seal the five point win at 61-56.Â
Northwestern will return to action on Saturday afternoon for Senior Day as the Lady Rangers host Arkansas Tech with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 PM.Â
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