CLAREMORE, Okla.-  The Roger State women's basketball team watched a 14 points lead slip though its fingers late in the second half as Northwestern Oklahoma State rallied to defeat the Hillcats 79-76 at the Claremore Expo on Thursday night.

With 8:45 to play in the game senior Cortney Crockett hit a layup to give the Hillcats a 57-47 advantage. NWOSU rallied, using a 21-3 run to gain a 68-60 lead with 2:02 remaining. The teams traded buckets in the final minutes with the Hillcats closing in on the Lady Rangers with a layup by Crockett leaving RSU to trail 78-74 with 11 seconds remaining.  NWOSU sophomore Audrey Richmond hit the back side of her double bonus free throws to give the Rangers a 79-74 cushion. Senior Andrea Miles shot a 3-pointer but it was off the mark, she scramble to earn the rebound and get the put back to make it 79-76 with two seconds remaining. The Hillcats ran out of time and the Rangers earned their first Sooner Athletic Conference win of the season.

Crockett led the Hillcats in scoring, pouring in 16 points while adding six rebounds. Sophomore Logan Froese followed with 14 points and Candice Stewart recorded her third double-double of the season.  The Chesapeake, Va. native scored 13 points while pulling in a career high 15 rebounds.  She set her previous career high of 13 boards on Monday against Oklahoma Wesleyan.  Andrea Mile rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.

The Hillcats used a 5-0 run, capped off by a steal and layup by Stewart, to lead 38-28 at intermission. Froese recorded 12 of her 14 points in the first half, shooting 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.

RSU shot an impressive 92-percent from the free throw line. However, they shot 36- percent from the field and 16-percent from long distance. The Hillcats failed to convert a 3-pointer in the opening half going 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

NWOSU shot 85-percent from the free throw line and 57-percent from 3-point range. They also struggled from the field, shooting just 37-percent.

The Hillcats won the battle on the boards, 47-40. NWOSU was led in scoring by Autumn Klugh with 24 points and Rachel Wilczek with a double-double.  The junior guard poured in 20 points while nabbing 10 rebounds.

The Hillcats are back in action on Saturday, Dec. 4 as they continue SAC play at Oklahoma Christian. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. The game will be broadcasted live on RSU Radio 91.3 and rsuhillcats.com.