OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Rogers State women's basketball trailed Mid-America Christian for the first 40 minutes but the Hillcats were able to capitalize in the overtime periods to come away with the 73-64 victory inside the Gaulke Activity Center Monday night.
Mid-America quickly jumped out to a six point lead in the first minute of action. The Lady Evangels were able to sustain the lead over the next five minutes as RSU slowly chipped away and tied the contest on a pair of Candice Stewart free shots.
RSU watched the MACU lead grow to as many as nine with five minutes remaining in the first stanza. A 10-2 Hillcat run over the next four minutes pulled RSU within one. A Tranecia Smith layup prior to the intermission put the score at 31-28 MACU advantage.
The Lady Evangels slowly built the lead to as many as 13 in the first seven minutes of the second period. A Nicole Wittman second chance bucket built the lead to a game high 14 with 12:12 remaining in regulation. Coach Amy Williams' squad slowly worked its way back into the game pulling the contest to a one point Lady Evangel lead with just over two minutes left. Smith hit the backside of a one-and-one giving MACU the two point advantage with 1:56 left. With 29 seconds on the clock Logan Froese got a layup off a Cortney Crockett assists to send the game into overtime.
The Cats took their first lead of the game in the initial overtime period off a Crockett layup. Wittman tied the contest for MACU at 60-60 with 3:49 left in the period. Candice Stewart gave the lead back to RSU with a put back, layup but MACU responded to send it to another overtime period on a Smith bucket with 51 seconds left in the period.
RSU saved the best for last as the Cats built a 10-0 lead in the second overtime off of improved defense and sound shooting from the charity stripe. The Hillcats came away with the 74-63 victory despite not leading until the extra periods.
Mid-America Christian (10-14, 6-12) was led in scoring by Melissa Aguilar and Nicole Wittman with 12 each. Brittany Woodard rounded out the double-figure scoring with 10 points.
Crockett led all scorers with 18 points. The starting post duo of Logan Froese and Stewart both registered double-doubles. Froese finished with 15 points and 13 boards while Stewart tallied 11 rebounds to go along with 14 points. The Hillcats went 0-7 from behind the arc and hit only 60-percent from the charity stripe.
Rogers State (17-7, 11-6) will return to the Claremore Expo for a Senior Night bout with No. 23 Southern Nazarene on Thursday Feb. 17. Tip time is set for 6 p.m. with the game being broadcast on RSU Public Television and RSU Radio 91.3FM.
