CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State women's basketball team trailed by double digits late in the fourth quarter, but rallied back to get within two before falling 57-54 to Northwestern Oklahoma State Monday night at the Claremore Expo Center.
In the final non-conference game of the season, a contest originally scheduled for Nov. 28, the Hillcats were forced to rally after a tough third quarter where the Rangers pushed a lead into double figures.
Natasha Kindred had the best game of her career and it started right from the opening tip as she scored five of RSU's first seven points, while pulling the game's first three rebounds as the game was tied 7-7. After NWOSU held a four-point margin,
Courtney Smith capped the quarter draining a triple from the left wing in the waning seconds giving the Hillcats a 16-15 edge through 10 minutes. Kindred tallied seven points and six rebounds in the frame.
The Rangers re-took an early lead in quarter two until Smith beat the shot clock hitting her second from downtown in the half for 19-17 advantage. The visitors responded with the next seven points for a 24-19 lead.
Lauren Schuldt hit a pair of free throws to close the scoring in the half as RSU went to the locker room trailing 28-27 in a stanza that featured five ties and eight lead changes.
Early in the third quarter, NWOSU held a slim edge until
Kami Bunch scored four-straight points for RSU giving the Cats a 35-34 advantage. The Rangers held the home team scoreless for the final 4:49 of the quarter and posted 11 points for a double-digit lead, 45-35 through three frames.
A three-point play for
Rachel Block to open the fourth quarter cut the deficit to seven, 45-38, The Hillcats continued to chip away at the margin using a 13-4 run to make things interesting down the stretch. Kindred controlled the paint in the stretch tallying 11 of RSU's points cutting it to a two-point game, 56-54.
RSU forced NWOSU into a shot-clock violation with 20 seconds remaining in regulation with a chance to tie or take the lead out of a timeout. Block's jumper fell off the side of the rim as the Rangers held on for the 57-54 road victory.
Kindred finished the night with a career-high 24 points and added a game-high 13 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive end. The junior shot 9-for-15 from the floor and was joined by Bunch in double figures with 10 points and four assists.
The Hillcats (11-10 overall) hit the road for a pair of Heartland Conference games starting Thursday Feb. 11 in Goodwell, Oklahoma at Oklahoma Panhandle State. The game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and can be heard live on the Hillcat Network and on the airwaves of RSU Radio 91.3FM.
