SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist freshman
Jill Leslie scored with 3.8 seconds left to lift the Bison over Southern Arkansas, 62-61, on Saturday during Senior Day at the Noble Complex. It was the team's 14th win of the year, the most-ever attained since joining DII in 2017-18.
After
Mallory Lockhart was double teamed around the right elbow, she found a wide-open Leslie who scored off the left block. On the ensuing SAU possession,
Melissa Southard helped end the game with a deflection off Ariana Guinn as time expired.
Leslie ended up with 11 points and tied her career-high with 16 rebounds while Lockhart scored a career-high 22. Southard was outstanding as well. She tied her career high with 10 points, dished out a game- and personal-best six assists and grabbed five boards.
In the first, the Bison and Muleriders were virtually even before a three-ball by
Kendall Parker with 36 seconds left gave the home team a 17-14 lead.
Second-quarter action saw OBU stay in front throughout. In the final 1:01, Southard scored two buckets in the paint to help the green and gold take a 29-22 lead into the locker room. OBU's defense was solid in the period, holding SAU to 18.7 percent shooting.
Nearly four minutes into the third, the Bison had a 9-3 run. Four different players scored and after a three by Lockhart, OBU led by 13, 38-26 at the 6:20 mark.
The strong start didn't continue, though, as the hosts hit two of its next seven which allowed SAU to get back in it. Heading to the fourth, SAU's Diamond Morris hit a layup with three ticks left, bringing the tally to 46-42.
In the fourth, the Muleriders stayed within four points until they took the lead at 2:53. At that point, a right-block layup from Kisi Young gave the visitors a 56-55 advantage. Two minutes later, Young hit a free throw, moving the tally to 61-60.
What followed were turnovers by each team before OBU got one more crack at reclaiming the lead. On their last offensive possession, Lockhart found Leslie for the game-winner.
OBU has two road games to round out its regular season. On Feb. 24, they visit Southeastern before traveling to East Central on the 26th.
