Alva Review-Courier -

ALVA, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State University women's basketball team was unable to overcome cold spells Saturday afternoon as the Lady Rangers fall to Arkansas-Monticello, 88-70, inside Percefull Fieldhouse.

Northwestern will put the loss behind them and focus on its first Arkansas trip of the season on Thursday against Henderson State in Arkadelphia. The Lady Rangers will close the trip Saturday afternoon when they cross the street to face Ouachita Baptist.

The loss moved the Lady Rangers record to 5-8 overall and 2-4 in Great American Conference play, while the Cotton Blossoms from UAM improved to 4-7 and 3-3 in the league.

After the Blossoms started the game by scoring the first 13 points, McKenzie Billy got the Lady Rangers on the board at the midway point of the first quarter with a three-pointer from the left wing. From that point, the two teams traded baskets with UAM holding on to a 25-12 lead at the end of one period.

The second quarter started much like the first, but the roles were reversed with Northwestern going on a 17-0 run over the first four and a half minutes. Off a missed shot, Jade Jones pulled down a rebound and found Kalea King for a fastbreak layup to start the run. A little more than a minute later, Jones drained a three from the top of the key to make it an eight-point ball game.

The next 12 points were all via Bailey Brown's work in the paint either through battles won with layups or getting to the line and converting. During person 12-0 run, Brown was 3-for-4 shooting, each assisted by a teammate, and 6-for-6 at the line.

Brown led the Lady Rangers with a double-double, including 18 points and 12 rebounds. King also finished with 18 points, added five rebounds, five steals and three assists.

With 5:32 to go in the first half, Brown was fouled going back up following an offensive rebound by King. After the whistle, and technical foul was assessed, giving Brown four chances at the line, which she converted to give the Lady Rangers a 29-25 advantage.

Trey Lunn

Bailey Brown scores the lay-up after fight to get in position.

Unfortunately, UAM regained the lead a little more than a minute later. With just six seconds remaining in the second, Bailey Forell knocked down a three to make it a 44-38 game, but Berniezha Tidwell answered with a tough three in the corner to give the Blossoms a nine-point lead at the break.

In the third quarter, the Blossoms opened up an 18-point before the Lady Rangers went on a 12-4 run to close the quarter thanks to a pair of three pointers from Kenzi Lamer and another shot from outside off the hands of Forell.

Even through the Lady Rangers were able to make it an eight-point game heading into the fourth quarter, another cold drought was too much to overcome in the final 10 minutes.

Other than Brown and King, Jones was the only other Lady Ranger to finish in double figures with 11 points, four boards and three assists. Lamer finished the game with eight points, Forell had six points and Kyleigh Leverich, Selena McDonald and Billy each had three points.