ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita women's basketball team finished the 2024-25 season on Saturday at home with a 79-78 double-overtime loss to Arkansas-Monticello.
The Tigers controlled much of the first half and used a late run in the second period to build a double-digit lead at halftime. After UAM took a one-point lead with 4:11 remaining, the Tigers answered with a 12-0 run to go up by 11. Both squads added a basket in the final two minutes to put Ouachita up 41-30 at the break.
That run extended into the second half when the Tigers held its largest lead of 13 on a jumper from
Madeleine Tipton at the 8:40 mark of the third period.
UAM outscored Ouachita by five in the third period to give the Tigers a six-point lead heading in the final regulation period.
Ouachita had its worst statistical period of the game in the fourth, connecting on only two shots, but held a lead all the way through until UAM's Ella Mask made a three with two seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime.
The Blossoms struck first in OT, but the Tigers answered with threes from
Madeleine Tipton and
Laney Mears to regain the lead. The Blossoms struck late once again, this time a layup from Bailey Harris with two seconds remaining in the extra period to extend the game five more minutes.
The second overtime period went back-and-forth. Tipton made her third trey of the game with seven seconds remaining to tie the game at 78. With UAM going the length of the court, the Tigers were whistled for a foul with 0.3 seconds remaining to send Alindsey Long to the free throw line with a chance to win it for the Blossoms. Long missed the first, but made the second to finalize the scoring.
Ouachita finished at 44 percent from the field (30-for-69), 26 percent on threes (5-for-19), and 72 percent on foul shots (13-for-18). UAM ended up at 43 percent overall (27-for-63), 46 percent on threes (12-for-26), and 72 percent on foul shots (13-for-18).
Madeleine Tipton and
Brooke Smith tied for the game-high in scoring with 23 points each. For Smith, it was a career high and her first ever 20-point game at the collegiate level. Smith also had a game-high 15 rebounds for her second career double-double.
Laney Mears added 14 points and a game-high four assists.
Abbey Harrison also reached double digits in scoring with 11 points.
The Tigers honored
Laney Mears and graduate assistant coach
Annie Coffey immediately after the game as a part of Senior Day festivities.
Mears finishes up her Ouachita career as the sixth-best scorer in Ouachita history with 1,322 career points. She set new Ouachita records in career three-pointers made (248), career three-pointers attempted (650), and career free-throw percentage (91.2 percent).
Also during her career, Mears set new school records in single-season three-pointers made (79 in 2022-23) and single-season free throw percentage (93.1 percent in 2023-24).
