RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech women's basketball team fell to Southwestern Oklahoma State 65-73 in Tucker Coliseum on Saturday afternoon. Following the game, the Golden Suns are 13-11 overall with an 11-9 record in Great American Conference play.
The Golden Suns opened the game strong on a 6-0 run with buckets from
Kaley Shipman,
Jalei Oglesby and a putback layup by
Dana Thompson following an offensive rebound. The Bulldogs found their first basket of the night off a three-pointer as the Golden Suns still led 6-3 with just under eight minutes to play in the opening period.
Oglesby scored the next two buckets back-to-back on two-point jumpers to push the lead up to 10-3. On the next possession, Oglesby would come away with a steal on Southwestern Oklahoma, but would then turn the ball over leading to another three-point basket for the Bulldogs as they cut the Tech lead down to 4 at 10-6.
Alex Hill would follow a make from the Bulldogs with a layup of her own to secure her first points of her season-high scoring effort in the game. The bucket by Hill at the 5:27 mark in the first quarter began a 6-0 run for the Golden Suns that was capped off with a two-point jumper by Shipman that made it an 18-9 lead over Southwestern Oklahoma. During their 6-0 run, the Golden Suns held the Bulldogs scoreless for 2:09.
Offensively as a whole in the first, the Golden Suns had their most efficient quarter of the afternoon shooting 60.0% (9-of-15) from field goal range. On defense, they held the Bulldogs to their worst quarter shooting mark of the day only allowing 29.4% (5-of-17) of the Bulldogs shots from the field to go in the basket. The final basket of the first quarter would be a three-pointer for the Bulldogs, but the Golden Suns would still hold a 19-15 lead heading into the second quarter of action.
The first points of the second quarter for both teams would come at the free throw line as Oglesby went 2-for-2 at the line following a foul by the Bulldogs after Oglesby collected an offensive rebound. Another made free throw from Oglesby and a layup off the glass from Hill off the dish from
Claudia Bridges would extend the Arkansas Tech lead out to 24-19 with 6:44 left to play in the second quarter.
Southwestern Oklahoma quickly made a push for the lead as they went on a 7-0 run to take a 25-24 lead over the Golden Suns with just over five minutes left in the quarter. The score would go back and forth a few times, but the Golden Suns would grab the lead once again following a block on defense by Bridges that led to
Hayleigh Wyrick grabbing the defensive rebound and running the floor, going coast-to-coast, for the strong finish off the glass on the other end on the fastbreak to give her team back the lead at 28-27.
The Bulldogs would respond right back on offensive hitting a three-point basket to take back the lead over Tech 30-28.
The Golden Suns would get back as close to within one point, but another three would put the lead back at four for the Bulldogs. Oglesby would get one final basket for Tech in the quarter with a layup to send the Golden Suns into the halftime break down just two at 34-36.
To open the second half, the Golden Suns would get right to work on offense with an 8-0 run that saw made free throws from Oglesby and Hill as well as two finishes inside the paint for Hill an Shipman to give Tech a 42-36 lead.
Southwestern Oklahoma would get back within two following a trip to the free throw line, but Hill would attack the rack for another strong finish inside to put the Golden Suns lead back up to four with 6:58 left in the third quarter.
After Hill's basket, the Bulldogs would once again make a run, this time 9-0, but Hill would will the Golden Suns back with two strong back-to-back baskets down the stretch of the quarter to put her team back within one at 48-49. Southwestern Oklahoma would score the final basket of the quarter, however, on another three-pointer to head into the final quarter of play with a 52-48 lead over Arkansas Tech.
The Golden Suns would begin the final quarter of play on the fastbreak as Thompson came away with a steal and gave it to Hill who went coast-to-coast for the finish off the glass to bring the game back within two points.
Another basket and three ball for Southwestern Oklahoma would push their lead up once again, but Oglesby responded with two back-to-back baskets to cut the lead for Southwestern Oklahoma down to three at 57-54.
Later in the quarter with the Golden Suns still down three, Bridges would poke loose a big time steal that led to a coast-to-coast scoring effort at the rim for Oglesby to make it just a one point game with 4:32 left to go as the Golden Suns still trailed 60-61.
The Bulldogs would close the game as the stronger team finishing on a 12-5 run down the stretch that included two steals forcing turnovers on the Golden Suns which led to the 73-65 win for Southwestern Oklahoma.
Leading the Golden Suns was Oglesby with 23 points and eight rebounds on the afternoon. Oglesby also two steals and a block in her outing. Following Oglesby was a big game from Hill who scored a season-high 21 points on an excellent 56.3% (9-of-16) on her shots from field goal range. The final double-figure scorer for the Golden Suns was Shipman with 10 points against the Bulldogs.
The Golden Suns will wrap up the 2023 regular season next week and will begin the week on the road in Arkadelphia, Ark. for a game against Henderson State. The game against the Reddies is set for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off on Thursday.
