ARKADELPHIA — The Ouachita women's basketball team never let up in Thursday's 79-47 blowout win over Southwestern Oklahoma State inside Bill Vining Arena.
The Tigers never let SWOSU get into any sort of offensive flow, holding the Bulldogs to just three made field goals in the first quarter. SWOSU struck first as Landry Allen hit a turnaround shot from the right block, but the Tigers seniors answered back as
Audri Winfrey found
Heidi Robinson open for a three from the left wing to take the lead. Winfrey followed up sinking a corner three of her own to give the Tigers a lead they would never relinquish.
Robinson got active and made her presence felt on the defensive end with a pair of blocks, then swiped a steal and delivered an assist to senior Samatha Watson cutting to the basket to finish the fast break. The Tigers closed the first on an 11-1 scoring run to take a 17-7 double-digit lead after the opening quarter.
The Tigers continued to pour it on with a trio of threes to start the second as senior
Madeleine Tipton knocked down a pair of threes, while Watson added a triple from the right wing. Robinson facilitated the offense delivering pinpoint passes to junior
Brooke Smith to finish the fast break at the rim, then found Tipton wide open for a three from the top of the key. Tipton led the Tigers with 16 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished three assists. Smith scored 15 points and grabbed seven boards, while contributing two blocks and two steals for the Tigers.
After SWOSU's Lacy Brough connected on consecutive threes to cut into the deficit, Robinson answered with a pull-up 3-pointer to extend the lead back to 18. Ouachita took a commanding 42-26 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, the Tigers held the Bulldogs to just 6-for-34 shooting from the floor and 1-for-13 from deep. Ouachita (11-7, 8-6 GAC) showcased crisp ball movement to swing the ball around as all six made baskets were assisted in the third quarter.
Sophomore
Kayden Porter kicked it out to Robinson for another open three, then freshman
Makayla Vation found Winfrey open for a corner three. Smith followed up returning the favor to Vation with a behind the back pass to score a finger roll layup. Sophomore Rudy Trammell buried a corner three in front of the Tigers bench as Ouachita took a 59-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
Ouachita turned defense into instant scores in the final frame with multiple outlet passes leading to fast break finishes at the rim. The Tigers held the Bulldogs (8-12, 5-9 GAC) to just 16-for-67 (24%) shooting from the floor. Porter drove inside from the left corner and fired a pass behind her head to Robinson, set in the corner for her fourth 3-pointer of the game. Robinson finished with 15 points, four rebounds, and six assists.
Ouachita hosts Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday for women's basketball alumni day, with tip-off set for 1 p.m. inside Vining Arena.
