CLAREMORE, Okla. - Rogers State women reached the century mark for the fourth time in school history and the first time over a NAIA school defeating Oklahoma Wesleyan University, 110-71, inside the Claremore Expo on Monday night. The 110 points set a new single game, school record breaking the 108 point mark set against Dallas Christian College on Dec. 12, 2009.
Rogers State (5-2) took grasp of the lead by eight points and didn't look back with 10:57 minutes remaining in the opening period off a Candice Stewart free throw. The Hillcats stretched the lead to a first half high of 21 points with just over a minute remaining in the period. Heading half RSU led the Lady Eagles, 51-33.
Stewart led all scorers with 16 points and registered her second double-double of the season with 13 boards. The rebound mark also ranked as a career high for the Chesapeake, Va. native.
It was a record breaking evening as seven Hillcats reached new career highs in multiple stat categories. Reserve guards Taylor Jeffs and Kristy Henderson set career highs in scoring. Jeffs scored 13 points going 5-of-5 from the field while Henderson shot 50 percent from behind the arc totaling 15 points while also nabbing a career high 3 steals. In total six Hillcats scored in double-digits, with Brittani Smith scoring 11 points in her first start of the season. Senior guards Andrea Miles and Cortney Crockett rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 and 12 points respectively. Sophomore forward Madison Harris had a strong outing, posting 8 points while pulling in 7 boards.
OWU (4-4) was led by Sara Spencer in the scoring column with 15 points. Reserve Shelby Lloyd was the only other Lady Eagle to score in double figures finishing with 13. RSU out rebounded OWU 51-45 on the night while forcing 19 steals off of 27 Lady Eagle turnovers.
The Hillcats were more than willing to pass the ball around finishing with a new school record for assist at 24. That broke the old record of 22, first set on Nov. 14, 2008 vs. Ecclesia College and matched nearly a year later vs. Dallas Christian on Dec. 12, 2009. Sasha Barnes and Angie Criner both had five assists a piece while Crockett added 6 assists on the night.
The Hillcats shot 52 percent from the field and 74 percent from the charity stripe. While OWU shot an abysmal 32 percent from the field and 3-point arc but was solid from the free throw line hitting 79 percent as a squad. Rogers State tallied 7 blocks with Stewart and Smith both swatting 3 a piece.
RSU will get back on the Sooner Athletic Conference swing of things as the Hillcats play host to Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Thursday, Dec. 2 inside the Claremore Expo. The game will be broadcast live on RSU Public Television and RSU Radio 91.3FM.
