CLAREMORE, Okla. - In the first home Heartland Conference game of the season the Rogers State women's basketball team fell to Newman (Kan.) in the closing minute of the game, 76-73, inside the Claremore Expo Monday.
Cierra Tjaden knocked down a heavily contested 3-pointer from the top of the key with just under a minute remaining to clinch the victory as RSU was unable to connect offensively with 31 seconds remaining. A pair of free throws by Tjaden gave the Jets a three point lead as the Hillcats buzzer beater was off the mark from the left wing.
Clarissa Cannon recorded her third double-double of the season with a record setting performance as the senior forward set a school record with 29 points breaking teammate Katy Harsen's record of 27 set Nov. 21 at McMurry. Cannon pulled in 13 rebounds to lead the Hillcats as RSU out-rebounded the Jets 33-23.
Cannon's performance wasn't the only record breaking display on the Hillcat Holiday Extravaganza as guard Kami Bunch registered a school record 14 assists breaking Autumn Thompson's previous mark of 12 set in 2008. RSU finished with 21 assists as a team.
RSU led by six at the intermission but a quick burst by the Jets to open the second half tied the contest at 38-38 with 17 minutes to go. The lead exchanged hands three times over the next three minutes before Cannon scored in the paint followed by 3-pointers by Harsen and Mikaila Newton. Another Cannon jumper, off a Bunch assist, in the paint stretched the lead to five points for the Hillcats at the 11:55 mark. The RSU advantage would hold steady around five points until the final minute of play.
Newton tallied 12 points for the Hillcats as RSU shot 43.5 percent from the field, the best shooting performance since the season opening victory over Ecclesia. The sharp shooting could not match the performance by NU (4-4, 2-1 HC) as the Jets shot 60 percent from the field including 50 percent (7-of-14) from 3-point range.
Rogers State (1-5, 0-3 HC) welcomes Texas Permian-Basin to the Claremore Expo on Thursday, Dec. 5 for a 7 p.m. tip time. RSU Radio 91.3FM will provide live play-by-play of the action while the Hillcat Network will simulcast the action with video streaming at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
