SHAWNEE, Oklahoma – Ouachita Baptist University women's basketball freshman
Aspen Thornton recorded her second 40-point scoring performance of the season on Thursday in a 90-86 overtime road loss to Oklahoma Baptist.
Thornton averaged one point per minute she played on Thursday night, ending up with 41 points. She made 12 field goals and added 16 points at the foul line, where she was 16-for-21. It was her second-highest scoring performance of the season, coming up with 43 against Arkansas Tech on December 2. The Hot Springs native entered the night leading all of NCAA Division in scoring at just over 24 points per game, an average that jumped a full point following Thursday's performance.
Laney Mears and
Makayla Miller also reached double-digits in scoring for the Tigers (7-10, 5-8 GAC) with 19 and 12 points, respectively.
As for the game, the Tigers led by as much as 11 with 5:36 remaining in regulation on a three-pointer by Mears. The Bison (11-8, 7-6 GAC) chipped away at the Ouachita lead in the final five minutes and forced a 73-all tie with a made basket with six seconds remaining on the clock to force overtime, Ouachita first extra period of the season.
With both teams in the double-bonus, the extra period ended up being a free-throw contest. Ouachita was 4-for-8. Oklahoma Baptist was 9-for-10.
The loss splits the season series against the Bison. Ouachita won 67-63 on January 11 in Arkadelphia.
The Tigers look to bounce back on Saturday on the road against Southern Nazarene. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.
