ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Behind a season-high 52 percent shooting from three-point range, the Ouachita Lady Tigers defeated the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm 74-70 on Saturday. Katie Kapler led all scorers with 24 points.
 
Southern Nazarene (4-12, 3-10 GAC) dominated the first period, with Ouachita holding the lead for just 41 seconds in the entire first half. The Storm claimed their largest lead of the half on an 8-2 run that put Southern Nazarene ahead 19-11 with 4:05 left in the first quarter.
 
Ouachita (7-12, 4-9 GAC) played from behind through the rest of the half, despite never trailing by more than eight. With 2:57 until halftime, Alexis Sharp knocked down a three to pull the Lady Tigers within four points, and Halley Hill netted a three of her own two minutes later to cut the deficit to 36-33 at the break.
 
The Lady Tigers converted on just 38.7 percent of their shots from the field in the half but were 7-14 from behind the arc. Southern Nazarene posted a field-goal percentage of 46.9 percent but were only 2-7 from three. Despite only a three-point deficit, the Lady Tigers were outrebounded 15-7 in the half, including nine offensive boards for the Storm.
 
Kapler led Ouachita with 10 points and three rebounds in the half, while Katherine West followed with nine points, and Kori Bullard added eight.
 
Ouachita started the third quarter with a 14-3 run to take an eight-point lead. The run started with two free-throws from Sharp and featured six points from Bullard. The Lady Tigers maintained a lead for seven minutes of the period, but a 7-0 run by the Storm ended the third quarter with the score tied at 56.
 
The final ten minutes featured two ties and six lead changes. Southern Nazarene took the first lead on the first possession of the quarter, by West netted a three to give Ouachita a 59-58 lead. The lead was taken back immediately by the Storm, but just over three minutes later, Hill nailed another triple to give Ouachita a 67-65 lead.
 
Southern Nazarene would take the lead back once more, but Breanna Harris gave the Lady Tigers the final lead on a jumper with 1:48 to play, and Ouachita eventually earned the four-point victory.
 
Ouachita outscored the Crimson Storm 41-34 in the second half, behind 14 points from Kapler. The Lady Tigers also converted on 46.2 percent of their shots from the floor, including 5-9 from three-point range. The Storm were held to just 32.3 percent from the floor.
 
For the game, Ouachita netted a season-high 12 three-pointers, including four from West and three from Hill. The Lady Tigers also recorded a season-high 21 assists on their 24 made field-goals. The Storm outrebounded Ouachita 27-21, including 16-7 on offensive rebounds, but Ouachita held Southern Nazarene to just 10 second-chance points with only two coming in the final three quarters.
 
To go along with 24 points, Kapler also grabbed eight rebounds and had four assists. Bullard finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, her first double-double of the season. West added 13 points, on 4-5 shooting from deep, and five assists, while Hill scored nine points on 3-4 shooting behind the arc. Sharp tied West for a team-high five assists, as well as scoring five points and securing five boards.
 
The Lady Tigers will return to conference play on Thursday, Feb. 4, when Ouachita takes on Southeastern Oklahoma State. The game in Durant, Okla. is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.