By Eric Scott
NWOSU Athletic Communications 

Oklahoma Baptist holds off Northwestern Women in high-scoring affair, 92-83

 

December 2, 2018

Desiree Malicoat

Lady Ranger Deja Beechum (24) tries to dribble around Lady Bison Mikayla Shulanberger (13). Oklahoma Baptist pulled off the win Saturday night.

ALVA, Okla. – A late run by the Northwestern Oklahoma University women's basketball team wasn't enough Saturday afternoon as the Lady Rangers fell at home to Oklahoma Baptist, 92-83.

Northwestern (3-5, 1-1 GAC) found themselves down by 12 with just over three minutes to go, only to cut the OBU (4-3, 1-1 GAC) to five with a little less than a minute remaining in the game.

The late push by the Lady Rangers was started by a pair of jumpers in the lane from Deja Beechum and a put-back layup off the fingertips of Bailey Brown. In the final minute, Jakeria Otey pulled up from behind the three-point line in transition to make it a two possession game at 88-83.

However, the Lady Bison hit their free throws late to solidify the victory.

Northwestern has an opportunity close its three game home stand on a high note Tuesday evening as they host Newman (Kansas) at 5:30 p.m. inside Percefull Fieldhouse.

Otey led the Lady Rangers in the scoring column with 21 points. Kalea King notched another solid performance with 17 points, including 6-for-10 from the floor and perfect in her two three-point attempts, and Brown turned in her fourth double-digit performance in as many games.

Not only did Otey lead the black-and-red in scoring, but she had a team high five steals and finished with six rebounds, the same total as Brown. Jade Jones dished out six assists to go with her nine points, Beechum and Bailey Forell had five points each and Sami Williams was 2-for-2 from the floor for four points.

Presley Payahsape and McKenzie Billy rounded out the scoring with three points.

Shooting percentages were nearly identical between the two teams as Northwestern hit 53.4-percent to OBU's 53-percent from the field and both teams shot 33-percent from long range. It was the rebounding battle that was won by the visitors on Saturday with 38 boards, including 15 on the offensive end, to the Lady Rangers' 29 rebounds.

The Lady Rangers opened up the game with a 17-2 advantage in the first five minutes of the ballgame. Unfortunately, the Lady Bison stampeded back in a big way to close the first quarter as they outscored NWOSU 25-9 to hold on to a one-point lead heading into the second.

Desiree Malicoat

Lady Ranger Bailey Brown (30) throws the ball to her teammate.

OBU's lead was eventually stretched for 13 with 3:54 to go in the second quarter before King answered a Mia Cherry three with one on the Lady Ranger end of the floor. That started a 9-0 run to close the first half and make it four-point ballgame at halftime down 44-40.

The 40 points NWOSU scored in the first was its highest first half total of the season.

Northwestern came out in the first minute of the third quarter rolling with six straight points from Otey, one of which was an answered to a Lady Bison basket.

OBU seemed to have all of the momentum heading into the final stanza when Forell drained a three from the left corner to cut the game to 70-60 after three. The two teams battled through much of the fourth quarter before the Lady Rangers begin to make their late move with three to go.

 

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