Lady Bison Chop Cotton Blossoms

Oklahoma Baptist held the nation's No. 2 scorer six points under her average and claimed a 59-54 win over Arkansas-Monticello Saturday in the Noble Complex.

Arielle Cooper drew the defensive assignment and helped OBU become just the second team to hold UAM's Jordan Goforth under 20 points. Goforth ended with 19 points on 16 shot attempts and turned the ball over five times.

"We knew we had to stop 41 (Goforth) and we did well," Cooper said. "She was frustrated most of the game. I was excited to guard her."

Monticello outscored the Lady Bison in three quarters Saturday, but OBU dominated in the third quarter for a 23-7 advantage and led by as many as 16 early in the fourth quarter.

The Lady Bison tied the game in the third quarter on a McKenzie Cooper three-pointer and started a 19-3 run. McKenzie Cooper had eight points and Cameerah Graves five in that spree.

An 11-0 run by the Cotton Blossoms cut OBU's advantage to 48-43 with 3:43 left in the game and UAM got as close as three late, but Tasha Edge iced the game with two free throws with six seconds left.

Monticello entered with a six-game win streak and took just its second conference loss of the season.

Edge led the Lady Bison with 18 points and 10 rebounds while McKenzie Cooper added 13 points – all in the second half. Graves finished with 10.

Now 4-7 overall and 3-3 in the Great American Conference, the Lady Bison play at Southeastern Oklahoma State Thursday at 5:30 p.m.