CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State Women's Basketball picked up their first Heartland Conference win of the season on Saturday as the Hillcats defeated the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 71-65 at the Claremore Expo Center.
 
In a game that was never spread beyond single digits and included eight lead changes and a flurry of back-and-forth action, the Hillcats (8-7, 1-1 Heartland) took the lead for the last time with 93 seconds to go on Darian Jackson's layup. Azaria Floyd then sank four free throws to help secure the bounce-back win for Rogers State.
 
Floyd led all Hillcats with 15 points, including six free throws, as four players for the Navy and Red finished in double figures. The junior guard also had five assists.
 
Ke'Aunna Johnson came off the bench to score 14 for the Hillcats in 22 minutes of action. Johnson was 6-for-8 from the field and also had a pair of rebounds, a block and a steal. Overall, the Hillcats had 29 points from off the bench in the game, compared to just eight for Arkansas-Fort Smith (4-11, 1-1).
 
Desiree Nelson hit a trio of three pointers and also had four assists, three rebounds and two steals in a 12-point afternoon. Alicia Brown joined her teammates in double figures with 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting and three free throws. Brown also had six rebounds in the game.
 
The Hillcats shot 47 percent for the game and 41 percent from behind the arc. The Rogers State defense also held Arkansas-Fort Smith to 41 percent shooting and just 14 percent shooting from behind the arc.
 
The win snapped a five-game losing skid to the Lady Lions and also improved the Hillcats' record in bounce-back games, as Rogers State is now 5-2 coming off of a loss.
 
Lauren Schuldt led the Hillcats on the glass, finishing with seven rebounds. Schuldt also had a block and two points before fouling out of the contest.

Rogers State outrebounded Arkansas-Fort Smith 34-32 overall, while the Hillcats also had 15 assists to just seven for the Lady Lions.
 
The Hillcats will now hit the road for the first time in 2019 and in Heartland Conference play as the Hillcats travel to Lubbock, Texas for a DII Showcase doubleheader against Lubbock Christian (12-4, 2-0) on Thursday. The women will tip off at 6 p.m. at the Rip Griffin Center with the game against the Lady Chaparrals being streamed on ESPN3 and the ESPN App.