CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State women's basketball team fell, 80-66, to Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday at the Claremore Expo Center for the Hillcats' first loss at home this season after starting the season 3-0.
 
The visiting Bison (3-2) pulled away late in the third period, and the Hillcats (3-3) couldn't recover in the contest.
 
In the third period, OBU built a 10-point margin at 42-32 with 7:21 remaining, but RSU battled back with a 12-0 run to gain a 44-42 lead at the 4:55 mark. Kamry Chamberlain gave the Cats a spark with a 3-pointer to start the spurt, and Darian Jackson used a three-point play to cut the score to 42-39. After Lauren Schuldt pulled the Cats to within one at 42-41, Desiree Nelson knocked down a 3 for the Cats' 44-42 advantage.
 
RSU held a one-point lead at 46-45 after two Jackson free throws, however, the Bison went on a 10-0 run capped by a Lexi Williams 3-pointer to take the lead for good at 55-46 late in the third period.
 
The Hillcats cut the deficit to six points once in the fourth period on a Carlye Bohannan layup, but couldn't get closer as OBU pushed the margin back to double digits en route to the 14-point win.  
 
Jackson scored a team-high 15 points, one point off her career high of 16. Nelson hit four 3s for 12 points as the only other Hillcat in double figures. Schuldt pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. Bohannan totaled a game-high six assists.
 
Four Bison hit double figures with McKenzie Cooper tallying a game-high 21 points with four 3s. Tasha Edge, OBU's leading scoring coming into the game, totaled 16 points and six rebounds.
 
OBU shot 50 percent (26-52) from the field, including 56 percent (14-25) in the second half. RSU finished at 40.3 percent (25-62) and 44.4 percent (8-18) from 3.
 
The Hillcats start Heartland Conference play on Thursday at UA Fort Smith. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m. in Fort Smith, Ark.