ADA, Okla. — Henderson State sophomore Pink Jones hit two clutch free throws and a driving layup in the final minute on Thursday night, and the Reddies came up with two big defensive stops in the final seconds, to hold on and defeat East Central 82-78 in its first game of the calendar year.

After leading by as many as 19 points in the third quarter, Henderson saw its lead gradually slip away over the course of the second half, as the Tigers rallied to seize a 72-69 advantage with just 2:47 to play in the game. With momentum fading, senior Haleigh Henson found herself open on the left wing and...