BETHANY, Okla. - A strong offensive output by Rogers State's Azzie Knox wasn't enough as the Hillcats faltered late in the game to Southern Nazarene, losing 82-63 at the Sawyer Center in Bethany, Okla.
The No. 16 Crimson Storm took a hold of the lead with the first bucket of the night on a Brittni Brown jumper from the right wing and wouldn't relinquish it for the remainder of the game.
Knox set a school record with 26 points, going 10-for-16 from the field and 6-for-11 from the free throw stripe. The senior from Temple, Texas, led all scorers and was able to keep the Hillcats within ten points with just over five minutes remaining in the game.
Sophomore Katie Rice was the only other Hillcat to score in double figures, finishing with 11 points. Rice cut the Crimson Storm lead to 10 with 3:20 remaining in the game with a bucket in the paint. However, the strong performance inside by Rice and Knox wasn't enough as the Hillcats shot poorly from the outside, connecting on only 20 percent of their attempts from behind the 3-point line. RSU also shot well below its average from the free throw line, making only 47 percent.
SNU, however, was hot from 3-point land, making 50 percent of 14 attempts on the evening. Lana Keith led the Crimson Storm in scoring with 25 points, but it was her performance from behind the arc, hitting 4-of-6, that led to the Hillcats demise.
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SNU freshman Logan Martin scored 16 and senior Kinzie Didier finished with 14 to round out the Crimson Storms double digit scorers. Martin was able to wrangle in seven of the Crimson Storm's 15 steals on the night as the Hillcats turned the ball over 25 times.
The Crimson Storm did not attempt a free throw in the first half but made up for lost time in the second, going 17-for-21 to finish at 81 percent on the night from the charity stripe.
Rogers State (13-7, 7-5) hits the road for a West Texas swing beginning with a match-up against Wayland Baptist Thursday night in Plainview, Texas. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be carried on RSU Radio 91.3 FM.
