CLAREMORE, Okla.- The Rogers State University women's basketball team fell in a heartbreaking upset bid to No. 13 Fort Hays State University 71-69 on Saturday at the Claremore Expo Center.
 
The Hillcats were able to keep pace with the Tigers in the first quarter of the game as the two teams traded the lead back and forth, with the quarter eventually ending with the two teams tied at 14 points.
 
In the second quarter the Hillcats would take control of the game, thanks to a 9-0 run in the middle of the quarter. RSU would go into the half with a 34-30 lead.
 
The Hillcats would extend their lead to as much as 11 points in the third quarter and held a 56-47 lead headed into the final frame.
 
However, the visitors would start to cut into the Hillcats lead in the fourth quarter and went on a 9-0 run to pull within striking distance of the Hillcats. With three minutes to go in the game, the Tigers would take their first lead since the first half and extend the advantage to seven points with 24 seconds left in the game.
 
However, the Hillcats would mount a late surge with junior Lilly Garner sinking a pair of three pointers to cut the deficit to one with under five seconds to go.
 
After a foul by the Hillcats, the Tigers would go to the line with two seconds left on the clock. The Tigers would make the first free throw and miss the second. However, the Hillcats were unable to get control of the rebound and get a shot off before time expired.
 
Garner led the Hillcats in points setting a new career high with 19. The junior was 5-for-9 from the three-point line in the game. She would also tally four rebounds.
 
Vanessa Gajdosova would finish just behind Garner with 18 points, which would be a career high for the sophomore as well. Gajdosova would also have five rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
 
Two other Hillcats would finish in double figures for the game. Seniors Darian Jackson and Alicia Brown would finish with 11 points each. Jackson would also finish with seven rebounds, leading the Hillcats in rebounds for the game, and four assists. Brown would tally four rebounds for the Hillcats in the game as well.
 
The Hillcats shot 47 percent the field and 55 percent three-point range in the game. Fort Hays finished the game shooting 40 percent from the field and just 13 percent from behind the arc.
 
The Tigers held a slight advantage in rebounds, winning the battle 37-36. The Tigers also had just nine turnovers, while the Hillcats had 18, including nine in the final quarter.
 
The Hillcats will return to action on Wednesday, as they travel to Wichita, Kansas to take on Newman on January 15. Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m. against the Jets.