OKLAHOMA CITY (March 2, 2019) – The Hollywood ending wasn't to be for Oklahoma Christian on Saturday afternoon against Rogers State.

Having already rallied from a 17-point deficit to build an eight-point lead, only to see it dissipate in the final three minutes, the Lady Eagles twice found themselves down by one point, with the ball and a chance to win. But Rogers State blocked two shots in as the clock wound down to hold on for a 92-91 win in the Eagles' Nest.

OC (12-15, 5-9 Heartland Conference) lost on Senior Day despite 31 points from one of its seniors, NCAA Division II scoring leader Addy Clift, as well as 18 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots from the Heartland's second-leading scorer, Katie Mayo. It was Mayo's fifth double-double of the season.

The Lady Eagles dropped to seventh in the final conference standings and will face second-seeded Newman (Kan.) in the Heartland women's basketball tournament quarterfinals at noon on Thursday in Tulsa. OC and Newman split their regular-season series, each winning on the other's home court.

The big difference for Rogers State (14-13, 7-7) – which had lost at home to OC earlier in the season – on Saturday was rebounding. The Hillcats outrebounded OC 44-34, with 21 of those on the offensive end. Their 6-foot-2 center, Lauren Schuldt, had 38 points and 15 rebounds, 10 of those offensive.

"We gave up too many offensive rebounds and second-chance points," OC coach Stephanie Findley said. "We dug ourselves a big early hole and we did come back, but weren't able to sustain it late."

Rogers State hit its first five 3-point attempts and led 23-6 with 2:56 left in the first quarter. OC proved unable to cut into that margin much and trailed 54-38 at halftime.

The Lady Eagles sizzled in the third quarter, hitting 12 of 16 shots and outscoring Rogers State 35-17. OC took its first lead at 68-66 on a 3-pointer with 2:12 left in the quarter by its other senior, Hannah Bentsen, and was up 73-71 entering the fourth quarter.

When Megan Shelton scored with 2:57 left, OC led 85-77, but Rogers State's defensive pressure forced a couple of turnovers that the Hillcats turned into points and they tied the game 87-87 with 1:18 left on a basket by Schuldt.

Maddison Collyer split a pair of free throws with 1:15 left, pushing OC back ahead, but Lindsey Byfield hit a 3-pointer with 1 minute remaining to put the Hillcats up 90-88. Clift quickly answered with a short runner in the late to tie the game with 49 seconds left.

On the Hillcats' next possession, a slide step by Alicia Brown enabled her to find an angle to pass to Schuldt for a layup with 22 seconds left. Clift missed a tough, driving shot at the other end but Tyra Peck was fouled on the rebound. She hit 1 of 2 free throws with 14.7 seconds left.

OC fouled Brown, who missed both free-throw attempts with 13.9 seconds left. Shelton had a layup attempt blocked out of bounds by Schuldt with 2.0 seconds left, and on the ensuing inbounds play, Clift caught the ball and got knocked down while Schuldt blocked her shot as time expired.

Clift's 31 points gave her 727 for the season, moving the guard from Kiowa into second place on OC's single-season scoring list, past OC legend Pam Kelly, who scored 704 points during the 1985-86 season (when OC reached the NAIA quarterfinals) and 721 as a senior in the 1987-88 campaign.

Shelton added 14 points for OC, while Collyer had five points, six assists and six steals. Byfield and Desiree Nelson each scored 14 points for Rogers State while Lilly Garner had 12.

Mayo, a sophomore forward from Newcastle, now has 46 blocks this season, moving her into 10th place on OC's single-season list in that category.