TULSA, Okla. – The Rogers State women's basketball team opened its 2015-16 season falling on the road at NCAA Division I Tulsa, 85-51, for an exhibition contest Friday night at Reynolds Center.
 
Eight Hillcats made their debut in the navy and red as freshman Lindsey Byfield took advantage of the opportunity scoring a team-high 12 points. The Inola, Oklahoma native hit the first basket of the game for RSU knocking down her first attempt from long range, cutting an early deficit to 5-3.
 
The Golden Hurricane took control of the game scoring the next 13 points until a pair of free throws from senior Kami Bunch stopped the momentum trailing 18-3.
 
Tulsa took advantage of 10 RSU fouls in the opening quarter attempting 13 free throws as both teams adjusted to the new women's basketball rule changes of four quarters. TU held on to a 25-8 lead through the opening 10 minutes of play.
 
A quick 5-0 run for the Hillcats in the middle of the second quarter lowered the Golden Hurricane lead to 35-19. Byfield hit two free throws before Danielle Carr got a pass from Carlye Bohannan and drained a three pointer.
 
Bunch got a friendly roll beating the first-half buzzer with a pull-up jumper from 18 feet as RSU entered intermission trailing 51-28.
 
After being outscored 21-4 in the third quarter, Byfield started the fourth frame for the Hillcats with a jumper followed by back-to-back baskets from Bunch and freshman Lauren Schuldt on a 6-0 run for RSU. The Hillcats continued the late run putting up 19 points in the fourth quarter to just 13 for TU, but ultimately fell, 85-51.
 
Byfield led RSU with 12 points while Bunch added nine. Natasha Kindred pulled down a team-high six rebounds and Schuldt added five for the Hillcats. Antoinet Webster led four double-figure scorers for the Golden Hurricane with 19 points.
 
The Hillcats open the regular season Nov. 13 on the road at Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas. The game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.