SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist dug out from an early hole and forced double-overtime before losing a heartbreaking 78-76 women's basketball game to rival Southern Nazarene University Thursday in Shawnee.
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The loss dropped OBU to 7-8 overall and 3-6 in the Great American Conference. Â OBU, who is now seventh in the league, remain at home for their next game when they welcome Northwestern Oklahoma State Saturday at 1 p.m.
Katy Custer had a season-high 26 points while OBU got double-figure scoring from
Autumn Avina (15) and
Victoria Blankenship (13).
OBU jump started its offense after allowing SNU the first 16 points of the game. The Lady Bison were down 39-26 at half before steadily chipping away. OBU tied the game at 52-52 on a fast break layup by Avina with 7:20 remaining in the game.
OBU forced the first overtime when Blankenship worked free under the basket and scored on a feed from Avina as the horn tying the game at 64.
In the first overtime the Lady Bison added four free throws by Custer and baskets by
Mikayla Shulanberger and Blankenship to keep OBU even at 72-72.
OBU had an opportunity to force a third overtime, but Avina's jumper spun out of the cylinder with two seconds left allowing SNU to escape with a hard-fought 78-76 win.
The Lady Bison finished the game making 26-of-67 shots for 38.8 percent. OBU made seven three pointers with Custer knocking down six.
Blankenship had 11 rebounds to go with her 13 points to collect her fifth double-double of the year.
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