WICHITA, Kan. (Jan. 24, 2019) – Her usually dependable long-range shots weren't falling, so Addy Clift figured out other ways to score for Oklahoma Christian on Thursday night at Newman (Kan.).

Despite missing all eight of her 3-point attempts, the leading scorer in NCAA Division II and the reigning national player of the week still poured in 37 points – on a variety of jumpers and trip after trip to the free-throw line – and the Lady Eagles held off Newman 85-81 in a key Heartland Conference basketball game at Fugate Gymnasium.

OC (10-8, 3-2 Heartland) has won three straight games after an 0-2 league start and now owns a win at Newman (12-6, 3-1), a team that doesn't figure to lose too many others at home the rest of the way. Newman entered the game ranked No. 10 in the South Central Region, giving OC three wins against regionally ranked foes this season, two of those in the last two games.

"I loved the resiliency of the team," OC coach Stephanie Findley said. "We didn't give up. We didn't panic. We just kept trying to run our stuff and follow the game plan and get back in it, and that's what we did. … Road wins are hard to come by and we're glad to get this one."

To make it happen, OC had to overcome a quick 10-0 deficit, hold their own on the boards and hit their free throws, and they did all three. Led by Clift, who went 17 of 18 from the line to improve to 89.5 percent on the season, the Lady Eagles hit 23 of 28, compared to 9 of 12 for Newman. The Jets made 10 of 26 3-point attempts – including 4 of 5 by Haley Albers – to keep it close.

With guard Megan Shelton leading the way with 10 rebounds (to go with eight points), OC outrebounded the Jets 35-33 and limited Newman's second-chance opportunities.

"If our bigs could get a tip on it, Megan was getting the loose ball and getting the rebound that way," Findley said. "But also, she was just flat-out pulling some of them down. She was blocking out well. Megan is active to the ball. She's one of our best defenders. She's one of our smartest players and she showed it tonight. … She played a great all-around game."

Clift went without a made 3-pointer for the first time since Jan. 12, 2017 – her sophomore season – against Arkansas-Fort Smith, ending a run of 56 straight games with at least one. But she sizzled from 2-point range, going 10 of 14, and her 17 made free throws tied a single-game school record set by Kim Golden vs. Phillips on Feb. 8, 1990, and matched by Clift against UAFS on Feb. 22, 2018.

"Newman did a good job," Findley said. "They were defending her with longer, taller people that were athletic. They were driving her off that (3-point) line. She just didn't have it going. That's what happens. Some nights, you don't have it. She didn't have it, but she started getting it from 2-point range, pulling up and shooting jumpers and going in and shooting layups and getting fouled and getting herself to the line.

"Give her some credit, too, that she figured out a way to keep scoring, even though they were playing great defense on her."

Three-pointers by Braxtyn Stewart and Dede Johnson helped stake Newman to a double-digit advantage in the first 2½ minutes. Findley called a timeout to settle her players, who responded by taking the lead at 19-17 just 23 seconds into the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Kendra Levings.

Newman again surged ahead at 29-24, but a 7-0 spurt by the Lady Eagles to close the half – highlighted by a 3-pointer by Katie Mayo, who had 17 points – gave OC a 39-34 lead at halftime.

OC never trailed again, but never really got comfortable, either. A basket by Mayo with 7:42 left in the third quarter gave the Lady Eagles their biggest lead at 48-38, but Newman crept closer and closer and tied the game at 71-71 with 5:54 left on a three-point play by Abbey George.

Clift responded with consecutive 15-foot jumpers, and after Kaitlyn Potter hit a 3-pointer for Newman, Maddison Collyer drove for an OC layup before Clift scored on a nifty spin move to put the Lady Eagles up 79-74 with 2:36 left.

Another three-point play, by Bria DeGrate, with 13.6 seconds left sliced OC's lead to 82-81, but Clift made two free throws with 12.7 seconds left and Potter missed a 3-point attempt that Collyer rebounded. Collyer split a pair of free throws with 6.3 seconds left to seal the win.

"My threes were pretty bad tonight," Clift said. "I just couldn't get the lid off of them. They felt good, but just went in and out. I guess you have to find other ways. I was so proud of my teammates. They found other ways, too. They really picked up the slack. I'm proud. We fought so hard. I'm very blessed to be here."

Collyer finished with eight points and six assists for OC. DeGrate led Newman with 20 points (to go with six rebounds, five assists and four steals), while George had 13 points, Albers 12 and Stewart 11.

OC will host longtime Heartland and national power Lubbock Christian (Texas) on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Stephanie Findley discusses the game: https://youtu.be/YHD58byWiNY