From SWOSU Sports Information
ALVA, Okla. — The Southwestern Oklahoma State women’s basketball team, facing rival Northwestern Oklahoma State for the first time as members of the Great American Conference, went to Alva, Okla., on Saturday (Jan. 26) and downed the Lady Rangers 78-41. The win improves SWOSU to 13-4 on the season and 8-3 in GAC play.
After trailing early on, the Lady Dawgs put together a 22-7 run to finish the first half, fueled by Kimmi Sawatzky and Elizabeth Lay off the bench. Sawatzky hit back-to-back 3-pointers to end the half and give SWOSU a 30-15 advantage at the break.
Southwestern ran away with the game in the second half, stepping up the pressure on defense and heating up offensively. After NWOSU cut the lead to eight at 32-24, the Lady Dawgs responded with a 17-3 run, fueled by Sawatzky and TaNita Dewberry, that gave SWOSU a 49-27 lead with 10:03 to play.
From there, SWOSU continued to pull away, taking their largest lead on their final bucket of the game, a short jumper from Jessica Penner that made the score 78-41 with five seconds to play.
Sawatzky led the way for SWOSU, scoring 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-4 shooting from long range. It was the third straight game that Sawatzky has scored in double figures, and the fourth time in the previous five games that she has accomplished the feat.
Lay nearly recorded her second consecutive double-double, finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds, while TaNita Dewberry came off the bench to score 11 points and grab 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. The Dawgs leading scorer, Michelle Fisher, scored 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting and she dished out a team-high four assists.
Northwestern, who was held to 31.9% (15-of-47) shooting from the field by SWOSU, was led by 14 points from Kierra Gilmore. No other Lady Rangers had more than seven points.
The longest road trip of the season for Southwestern continues next week as they head to Arkansas for a pair of GAC games. The Lady Dawgs will start with a matchup Thursday (Jan. 31) at Southern Arkansas, tipping off at 5:30 pm.
Doug Self is the Sports Information Director at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.