CHICKASHA, Okla. (Feb. 10, 2010) – The Oklahoma Christian women's basketball team fell by only a point in Thursday night's road match, as they lost 68-67 to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
During the first period, the Lady Eagles were on their game they led nearly the entire half. After OC's Katy O'Steen sunk the first basket for a two-point lead, USAO responded a minute later to tie things up and then take the one-point lead on a free throw.
Seconds later, O'Steen followed up with a jump shot to regain the Lady Eagle lead that OC never surrendered for the remainder of the period.
With 14:41 to play till the half, the Lady Drovers tied things up for the second time at 9-9 before the Lady Eagles managed a 14-2 run to take a 12-point lead with 10:54 still left on the clock.
Minutes later, the OC women pushed the lead to a 15-point advantage and the Lady Eagles held a double-digit margin till the end of the period. OC took their largest lead of 16 points at 1:44 left to play, and after two last minute free throws, ended the half with a 14-point margin over the Lady Drovers.
At the start of the second half, the Lady Eagles held their double-digit lead for the first few minutes, but a determined USAO squad cut the Lady Eagle lead to eight with 15:55 left in regulation.
After the Lady Eagles' Tarynn Branscum responded with a layup to take a 10-point lead, the Lady Drovers marched on a 14-0 run to take the winning advantage by four points.
Following the lead change, the Lady Eagles struggled to retaliate as the USAO women held the lead through the game's end.
With 3:34 left to play, the Lady Drovers managed to put the Lady Eagles at an eight-point deficit, but over the next two minutes, the OC women put up a 9-2 run to trail by just a single point with 1:25 remaining on the clock.
Despite the comeback, the Lady Eagles were unable to recover the lead. After an exchange of baskets, a foul gave USAO two free throws to take a three-point lead with 17 seconds to play. A final Lady Drover foul gave Katy Clift the opportunity for two successful free throws; however, the Lady Eagles still trailed by a point when the buzzer sounded to leave USAO the victors at 68-67.
O'Steen and Clift carried the Lady Eagles through the evening with 20 points and 17 points, respectively. O'Steen made seven rebounds in the process while Clift made four.
The Lady Eagles drop to 11-14 for the season with the loss and to 5-12 for conference play. The OC women will join the men back at home on Saturday as they host Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) in the Nest. The women's tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the men's to follow at 8 p.m.
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