ARKADELPHIA — The Ouachita women's basketball team shook off a cold start Thursday night and finished with a dominant fourth-quarter surge to prevail 77-70 in its home opener against Mississippi College inside Bill Vining Arena.
The victory marks the first career win for first-year head coach
Nick Long.
The Tigers controlled the game, but found themselves trailing 56–55 entering the fourth quarter. Ouachita (1–1) leaned on veteran poise and efficient playmaking as senior guard
Madeleine Tipton opened the final frame knifing through the lane to score a contested, go-ahead layup. The Tigers fed junior forward
Brooke Smith inside for a pair of buckets, including a turnaround jumper off the glass to tie the score at 61.
With under four minutes left to play, Tipton attacked the lane and found sophomore guard
Kayden Porter for her second 3-pointer from the corner. Tipton then took the handoff off an inbound pass and hit a baseline jumper to extend the lead.
With Ouachita clinging to a 70-67 lead with under one minute left, Tipton called for the isolation at the top against the Choctaws best player and drained the clock down. Tipton drove into the teeth of the defense and slipped an assist inside to senior forward
Audri Winfrey for the dagger to give the Tigers a two-possession lead. Tipton led the Tigers with 18 points and made all 10 of her free throws, including the game-sealing deuce late in the fourth.
Winfrey scored 17 points behind five 3-pointers, including a buzzer-beater in the first quarter that kept the Tigers within striking distance after a frigid start. She sparked the offense with her fourth 3-pointer from the wing to start the second quarter, then returned the favor and found sophomore guard
Kayden Porter for a corner three to take the lead.
Mississippi College (1–3) leaned heavily on senior forward Valencia McFall, who went off for a game-high 29 points and eight rebounds. McFall made the first three baskets of the game and scored 11 of the Choctaws' 20 first-quarter points to give MC a 20–18 edge after the first frame.
The Tigers answered emphatically in the second quarter with a 17–6 run, fueled by consecutive finishes at the rim by senior guard
Heidi Robinson, followed by a three from the top of the key to give the Tigers their biggest lead at 40-30.
Ouachita carried a 42–37 advantage into halftime, but the Choctaws clawed back in the third and briefly took a 56–55 lead on a late three from Vivian Sketoe. Ouachita retaliated in the fourth quarter, outscoring MC 22-14 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor, while holding the Choctaws to 5-for-16 shooting in the final frame. The Tigers connected on 17-of-18 shots from the charity stripe.
Ouachita is back in action Monday at home against Missouri Western State. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Vining Arena.
