CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State women's basketball team pulled off a thrilling, one-point win over Texas A&M-Commerce 50-49 Saturday afternoon at the Claremore Expo Center.
Natasha Kindred converted a pair of free throws with 29 seconds remaining and
Emily Gamble blocked the last-second shot of the Lions as the Hillcats won their fourth-straight game.
Rachel Block scored the first four RSU points opening a 4-2 advantage holding the Lions scoreless for the first 4:04 of the contest. TAMC used a quick, five-point spurt to take its first lead.
Lindsey Byfield beat the shot clock and hit a late three pointer to end the Hillcats' drought and Gamble followed with a trey of her own.
Kami Bunch capped an 8-0 RSU run late in the stanza as the teams ended the first quarter tied 12-12.
The Hillcats rattled off the first five points of quarter two building a 17-12 lead getting three points in the stretch from Kindred. Gamble and Byfield each hit another triple as RSU pushed the lead to eight points, 26-18, but the Lions closed the opening half scoring the final eight points to even the game at halftime, 26-26.
Neither team was able to take control in the third quarter as the score tied on three different occasions until the Hillcats opened a five-point lead in the final 2:12 of the quarter. Bunch hit a pull-up jumper with four seconds remaining in the frame giving RSU a 36-31 edge.
Amari Jones ended an 8-0 run for TAMC starting the final frame as the Lions regained a lead, 39-36. The visitors held a 49-48 advantage in the final 80 seconds as the teams traded leads. RSU responded at the free throw line as Kindred sunk a pair from the charity stripe after grabbing an offensive rebound and the defense held strong in the closing seconds as Gamble blocked the Lions' buzzer-beating attempt, securing the 50-49 victory.
Gamble led all scorers with a career-best 15 points, while Bunch and Block hit double figures with 10 points apiece. Gamble also grabbed a season-high nine rebounds to pace the Cats on the glass.
Gabby Scott led the Lions with 14 points and former Hillcat, Jones, added an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double.
RSU (5-1 overall) returns to action next Saturday, Dec. 12, on the road closing the non-conference schedule at Henderson State. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
