Women Beaten by Lions

February 7, 2009

WEATHERFORD, Okla. - The Southwestern Oklahoma State University women's basketball team again showed its fighting spirit putting together another late-game push before falling 72-69 to Texas A&M-Commerce. The game was much the same as the one played between the two teams three days ago in Commerce, Texas when the Bulldogs rallied from a 20-point hole and ended up losing, 70-65.

This time SWOSU battled back from a 15-point deficit in the game's final 10 minutes and actually took the lead late before letting it slip away.

Erin Wright had her second straight outstanding game for the Bulldogs leading the team in scoring with 18 points.  She could have added to her heroics and possibly send the game into overtime tied at 71, but she missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity with three seconds to play. SWOSU's Shanessa Smith grabbed the rebound and put up a shot that was just off the mark. A&M-Commerce's Ashley Murphy snared the defensive rebound and was fouled with 0.4 seconds to play.

Murphy made one-of-two free throws to put the final at 72-69.

Smith scored 14 and Jennifer DeGarmo added 12 for SWOSU who is now 7-14 overall and 3-5 in the Lone Star Conference North Division. The Bulldogs will next play an important road game Wednesday at Cameron University before returning home for a matchup against Texas Woman's on Saturday, Feb. 14. The Bulldogs will likely need to win both if they are to stay in the hunt for a LSC Tournament berth.

Brittney Jordan, the leading women's scorer in all of college basketball averaging just over 30 points per game, was the top point producer with 34 points. She made 11-of-27 field goal attempts and was a perfect nine-for-nine from the free throw line. Commerce improved to 14-7 overall and 6-2 with the win.

SWOSU started its charge in the game's last 10 minutes just after Jordan hit a basket to put the Lions ahead 59-44 with 10:29 to play. The Bulldogs scored the next 13 straight points and were within two at 59-57 when Smith made a layup with 7:42 to play.

SWOSU got its first lead since the opening minutes when Smith sunk two free throws to put the Bulldogs up 69-67 with 1:52 to play. Commerce then scored on a basket by Jordan and two free throws by Nolan Taylor to nose back in front 71-69 with 1:30 to play.

Both teams shot nearly identical from the field. SWOSU ended the game making 39% of their shots on 25-of-65 attempts while Commerce was 26-of-67 for the same 39%. Commerce had the advantage at the free throw line visiting it 21 times and making 17 while SWOSU sunk nine of their 14 attempts.