ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita women's basketball team overcame a sluggish start Thursday and flipped the script in emphatic fashion to pull away with an 83-64 victory over Oklahoma Baptist inside Bill Vining Arena.
The Tigers (9-4, 6-3 GAC) found themselves down by double-digits midway through the first quarter as the Bison jumped out to an early 12-2 lead. Ouachita erupted for 27 points in the second quarter, more than Oklahoma Baptist (7-8, 3-6 GAC) scored in the entire first half.
Ouachita senior
Heidi Robinson sparked the scoring run and opened the second frame by knocking down consecutive 3-pointers to erase the deficit. Robinson then became a maestro on the open floor, running the fast break and delivering a no-look dime to
Abbey Harrison at the rim for a traditional three-point play that capped a 9-0 surge that put the Tigers ahead for the rest of the game. Harrison, the reigning GAC Defensive Player of the Week, posted her third straight double-double and finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.
Ouachita outscored Oklahoma Baptist 27-9 in the second quarter and 22-3 off turnovers to turn an early 10-point deficit into a commanding 39-25 lead into halftime. The lone lead change was enough for the Tigers to preserve their third straight win.
Ouachita senior Madeline Tipton opened the second half drilling a step-back 3-pointer from the left wing, signaling the Tigers' intentions of pulling away. Tipton led the Tigers with 13 points and three assists.
Ouachita went berserk with a 12-0 scoring run to start the fourth quarter, highlighted by
Audri Winfrey drilling consecutive threes from each corner off assists from Robinson. Winfrey followed up by deflecting a pass on the defensive end, allowing Porter to scoop up the loose ball and finish the fast break at the rim.
The Tigers made all three shots from beyond the arc in the final frame as their lead ballooned to as many as 27 before emptying the bench in the final minutes. The Bison were held to just 37% shooting from the floor and were outscored 71-48 after the opening frame.
Ouachita hosts Southern Nazarene on Saturday at 1 p.m. back inside Bill Vining Arena.
