ARKADELPHIA – A fast-paced Great American Conference battle featured 21 lead changes, 16 ties and came down to the final possession, but the Ouachita women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 84-83 loss in overtime to Southern Nazarene Saturday at Bill Vining Arena.
Ouachita (9-5, 6-4 GAC) erased multiple deficits, forced overtime and held a three-point lead twice in the extra period, but Southern Nazarene (5-9, 5-5 GAC) scored the winning basket in the final seconds to escape with the narrow road victory.
Both teams exchanged each of the first 12 baskets. Ouachita sophomore
Kayden Porter set the tone early with a three from the top of the key, then senior
Madeleine Tipton knocked down a step-back three. Southern Nazarene closed with a late surge, capped by Jordan Hoffman's deep three from the logo to take a 21-16 lead after the opening frame.
Ouachita found its rhythm in the second quarter behind senior
Heidi Robinson, who hit a trifecta of threes to keep the Tigers within striking distance. The Tigers cut the deficit to one possession three different times in the second period, but Southern Nazarene answered each push to take a 38-33 advantage into halftime.
Saturday's affair got more physical after the break as both teams combined to take 30 free throws in the third quarter. Ouachita was held without a made basket until the final minute of the third as Robinson nailed her fourth 3-pointer from the corner to cut the deficit to 53-49 headed into the fourth.
Ouachita showed its resilience and stormed back in the fourth. Robinson drove inside and dumped off an assist to senior
Abbey Harrison for an open layup to cut it to one possession. After the Crimson Storm responded with a traditional three-point play, Tipton answered back with a spot-up three from the left wing. Robinson followed up curling around a screen to bury a pull-up midrange jumper to tie it up at 56 apiece.
The Tigers pounced to an 8-0 scoring run as senior
Audri Winfrey connected on a pair of threes to put Ouachita ahead 64-59. Winfrey finished with 11 points and eight boards. The Crimson Storm thrived on backdoor cuts, evidenced best at the end of the final two periods as Nessa Begay backed down her defender and found Boston Berry wide open beneath the basket to level the score at 71-71 and send it to overtime.
With the game tied up in overtime, Tipton deflected a pass, led the fast break and scored through contact for an and-1 finish at the rim to give Ouachita an 80-77 edge with just 1:41 left to play. After Southern Nazarene Bracy Byberg drilled a corner three to tie it at 80, Ouachita's
Samantha Watson drove the lane and kicked out to Winfrey, who drilled a corner three to put the Tigers ahead 83-80. The Crimson Storm responded at the line and then converted the same backdoor cut play in the final seconds as Berry laid in the game-winner beneath the basket to seal the outcome.
Tipton led all scorers with 25 points on 6-of-12 shooting and a perfect 11-for-11 performance at the free throw line. Robinson finished with 18 points, while Harrison added 16 points. Ouachita was limited to just 38% shooting from the field, while Southern Nazarene made 48% of its attempts. The Crimson Storm doubled the Tigers with 44 points in the paint and held a 26-8 edge in bench points.
Ouachita stays at home to take on cross-street rival Henderson State on Thursday, Jan. 22 back inside Bill Vining Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
