OBU Battles Hard in Magnolia

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Oklahoma Baptist women's basketball team fell to Southern Arkansas in a heartbreaking loss. OBU kept the game close, matching point run for point run with the Muleriders. The Bison, however, were not able to fully match a Mulerider 12-0 run in the fourth quarter, falling 88-84.
 
The Bison delivered a strong performance having shot 26-67 (43.3%) from the field and 40.9% from behind the arc. OBU put up 26 points off of turnovers and scored 19 points in the fast break. Six Bison found themselves in double figures. McKenzie Cooper led with 17 points and put up a couple of steals. Mikayla Shulanberger came in second having gone 7-9 from the field for 14 points. She also led the Bison in steals having accumulated five. Jaylin Stapleton delivered her third game in a row with double figures. She finished the afternoon with 13 points and five rebounds. Charissa Price went 4-5 (80%) from three-point range, scoring 12 points for the Bison. She also led the way in rebounds with nine. Jacie Engler and Briana Marshall rounded out the top scoring for the Bison putting up 11 points and 10 points respectively.
 
OBU found itself in tough Great American Conference battle once again, with a game that had 11 ties and ended with only a four-point differential. Both teams came out of the gate firing, in a quarter that had seven lead changes and three ties. The Muleriders prevailed taking a 15-14 lead at the end of the first. The Bison answered back with a 7-0 point run to begin the second quarter. Unfortunately for OBU, SAU was able to bounce back and take a six-point lead into halftime.
 
 In the third quarter, the Bison outscored the Muleriders 24-18 and took a 60-60 tie into the fourth. The Bison played tough taking a slight 73-71 lead with less than five minutes to go. Unfortunately, the Muleriders offense turned up the intensity and went on a 12-0 run to take a 10-point lead with around three minutes to go. OBU did not flinch and was able put up 11 points in the final two minutes, but SAU was able to hold on and seal a four-point win.
 
OBU will conclude its four-game road trip with a stop at Arkansas-Monticello, Saturday, Jan. 25, with tipoff coming at 1 p.m.
 
For complete coverage of OBU women's basketball, follow the team's official Twitter account (@OBU_WBBall).