Katy Clift scored 24 points for OC in a 79-76 loss to Northwestern Oklahoma State on Monday.
OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 5, 2011) – Katy Clift scored 24 points, but a late rally by Oklahoma Christian fell just short and the Lady Eagles lost 79-76 to Northwestern Oklahoma State on Monday night in the Eagles' Nest.
Northwestern (5-4, 2-2 Sooner Athletic Conference) completed a two-game season sweep of OC (4-4, 1-3) by coming back from a nine-point second-half deficit. The Rangers had led for less than 1½ minutes in the game before taking a 70-67 lead with 5:24 left on a three-point play by Audrey Richmond.
That was part of a 10-0 run by Northwestern that put the Rangers ahead 75-67 with 3:24 left. OC pulled within 75-73 with 1:18 left on a basket by Logan McKee and the Lady Eagles had a chance to tie, but Northwestern's Renee Golliday stole a pass by OC's Tarynn Branscum in the final minute.
The Lady Eagles had to resort to fouling to stop the clock, and Autumn Klugh and Golliday both hit a pair of free throws in the final 14.7 seconds for Northwestern. Clift banked in a 3-pointer with 7.8 seconds to cut the margin to one point, but after Golliday's free throws, her rushed 3-point attempt from 30 feet fell well short.
OC committed 32 turnovers, compared to 26 for Northwestern.
"We cannot continue to turn the ball over and expect to win games," OC head coach Stephanie Findley said. "We are giving great effort but we must value each possession."
OC used a 6-0 run in the final 32 seconds of the first half – courtesy of two missed 3-point attempts by Northwestern, when the Rangers could have held for the last shot – to go ahead 37-31.
Clift nailed a 3-pointer four seconds into the second half to give OC a 40-31 lead, but Northwestern responded with a 12-1 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Titania Simmons, to go ahead 43-41.
OC scored the next five points to regain the lead and held it until Northwestern's late rally.
The Lady Eagles went 28-of-32 from the free-throw line (87.5 percent), led by a 10-of-10 effort by Clift, and outrebounded Northwestern 49-33. Katy O'Steen added 14 points for the Lady Eagles.
Golliday led Northwestern with 19 points. Audrey Richmond added 16 and Klugh had 11, including three 3-pointers. She now has 190 career treys, breaking Northwestern's school record formerly held by Stephani Bontrager.
The Lady Eagles will host Southwestern Christian on Saturday in a nonconference game before heading to Daytona Beach, Fla., for two games in the Daytona Beach Shootout on Dec. 19-20.
