ADA, Okla. – East Central used a big third period to upend the Rogers State women's basketball team, 59-52, on Tuesday (Dec. 12) at the Kerr Activities Center. Junior forward totaled her first double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough in the road nonconference loss.
RSU held a slight 30-27 advantage after the first half, but the host Tigers outscored the Cats, 22-11, and built a 49-41 lead after three periods.
With the score tied at 36-36 midway through the third, ECU went on a 13-0 run to push the margin to 49-36 with 46 remaining in the period. Lakin Preisner of ECU totaled the first five points of the spurt and then Devon Branch posted the next five before the run was capped by a 3-pointer from Alexa Adair.
RSU poured in the final five points of the third period and added four points to start the fourth to cut the deficit to three points, the closest the Cats would get in the period, at 49-46 on a Desiree Nelson 3-pointer at the 7:46 mark.
After another 3 from Nelson made the score 52-49 with 7:19 left, the offenses stalled with only five points by the Tigers over nearly seven minutes to increase the advantage to 57-49 with less than one minute remaining. ECU made enough free throws at the end for the 59-52 final score.
Schuldt finished an impressive 9-of-11 shooting from the field for 81.8 percent in 30 minutes. She added the 10 rebounds, all coming on defensive boards. The junior made it 15-straight games with a blocked shot as she totaled one in the contest.
Darian Jackson registered nine points and seven rebounds in 32 minutes.
The Hillcats shot a season-high 53.8 percent (21-39) from the field, including 57.1 percent (12-21) in the first half. RSU, however, was limited to only 52 points because of 20 turnovers and only two offensive rebounds.
RSU opened the game fast with the first seven points of the game and held its largest lead of the game at 11-3 after two
Nikola Nedoroscikova free throws with 4:09 left in the first period. The Cats were up 30-27 at halftime.
ECU's Branch hit four 3-pointers as she tallied a game-high 21 points and grabbed six rebounds. Preisner matched Branch with 21 points and a team-high three assists.
The Hillcats travel to Arkansas this weekend for two games in Arkadelphia, Ark. RSU starts with Ouachita Baptist on Friday (Dec. 15) at 12:30 p.m. with radio coverage on 91.3 FM KRSC.
