ODESSA, Texas – The Rogers State women's basketball team turned to its bench to get back in the win column with a 56-49 victory over Texas-Permian Basin Saturday at the Falcon Dome.
 
Courtney Smith and Lauren Schuldt led the team offensively scoring a combined 23 points off the bench, while Danielle Carr made her first start since November a memorable one tallying a career-high 10 points. Smith made four three pointers on the day, including two in the final minutes to ice the win.
 
After the Falcons raced out to an 8-2 advantage in the first quarter, RSU broke an extended scoring drought when Schuldt grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on the put back. Smith drilled her three pointer as the Cats cut the gap to one, 8-7, and stayed within two at the frame's close, 15-13, on three-straight points from Schuldt.
 
Rachel Block and Madison Dearmin scored the opening four points of the second stanza for the Hillcats to take a 17-15 advantage, their first of the afternoon and never relented. The lead stretched to four, 23-19, as Kami Bunch knocked down her first basket and the visitors were able to head into halftime leading, 26-24.
 
A Bunch triple followed by Carr's layup moved RSU ahead, 35-28, in the early stages of the third quarter. Block halted a more than three minute drought for both sides scoring at the 3:11 mark that pushed the lead back to seven. UTPB converted a traditional three-point play in the final minute of the quarter cutting the deficit to three, 38-35.
 
Schuldt matched the Falcons' three-point play with one of her own starting the final frame and Carr hit another jumper to reach double figures for the first time in her RSU career. The bucket made it an eight-point margin for the Hillcats. UTPB closed to within two, 47-45, with 4:05 remaining in regulation, but RSU closed the door on any comeback attempt as Smith buried two from long range securing the conference road win, 56-49.
 
Smith paced RSU with 12 points, all from behind the arc on 4-of-6 shooting. Bunch finished the day with nine assists and Dearmin led the team with a game-high and career-best nine rebounds. RSU dominated the glass holding a 52-33 edge in rebounds, including 18 on the offensive end and dished 16 assists on 20 made field goals, the second-highest assist total of the year.
 
The Hillcats (11-7 overall, 6-5 HC) return home for the next two Heartland Conference games starting Feb. 4 when St. Mary's comes to the Claremore Expo Center for a 5:30 p.m. start. Catch all the action on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.