TULSA, Okla. – Rogers State women's basketball put together a strong showing in a 96-74 exhibition loss to Division I Oral Roberts to unofficially get the 2022-23 season under way on Friday.
 
Three Hillcats finished in double digits on the night. Senior Bailey Kliewer and freshman Tangee Gagau led RSU with 18 points apiece. Kliewer added a team-high seven rebounds, an assist and a steal while Gagau added one assist. Senior Jordan Lewis put up 12 points with six rebounds, two steals and an assist. Freshman Kaya Goldsby contributed eight points while dishing out a team-high seven assists with three steals and two rebounds.
 
The Hillcats won the turnover battle finishing with 12 turnovers to 17. They also scored 18 points off turnovers compared to the Golden Eagles' nine points.
 
RSU put together a remarkable first quarter as they led for most of the period. The Hillcats jumped out to a 5-3 lead to start and were able to take their largest lead at 15-11 and again at 18-14. At the end of the first 10 minutes, things were all square at 18-18. Unfortunately in the second quarter, ORU began to take control of the game, outscoring RSU 33-17 and taking a 54-33 lead into the break.
 
The Hillcats didn't stop fighting in the second half despite being down 23 points early in the third quarter at 58-35. RSU managed to claw their way back into the game with a 16-6 run to trim the deficit to 13 points at 64-51. They closed out the period only trailing 70-56 headed into the final 10 minutes.
 
In the final period, the Hillcats kept playing but ORU reasserted control and put the game away outscoring RSU 23-18 to secure the 96-74 win.
 
RSU will officially kick off the season on the road on Friday, Nov. 11 as they travel to Moorhead, Minn. to face off against MSU-Moorhead in the first game of the MIAA-NSIC Regional Challenge. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.