CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State women's basketball team's two-game home winning streak came to an end in a 68-59 loss to UA Fort Smith on Wednesday (Jan. 24) at the Claremore Expo Center.
 
The Lady Lions (14-6, 7-1 Heartland Conference) used a 10-0 run in the second period to erase a 21-17 deficit and go up 27-21 with 4:52 left before halftime capped by a Tayla Taylor basket.
 
The Hillcats (6-12, 2-5) started the game strong and build their largest lead of the game when Jordan Evans hit two free throws for a 19-12 margin at the 1:15 mark of the first period. RSU held a 19-15 edge at the end of the first period.
 
Nikola Nedoroscikova put the navy and red up 21-17 early in the second period on a driving layup before the UAFS spurt.
 
In the second period, the visiting Lady Lions outscored the Cats by a 19-8 score to take a 34-27 advantage into halftime.
 
After a Lady Lion basketball to start the second half, the Hillcats cut the margin to eight points four times in the second half, but couldn't close the gap any more in the 68-59 game.
 
Nedoroscikova totaled a team-high 13 points and four assists while defensively she had a game-high four steals, one off her career high. KeAunna Johnson went for 12 points in 19 minutes off the bench, and Desiree Nelson hit three first-half 3-pointers en route to 11 points. Darian Jackson pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
 
RSU shot only 30 percent (18-60) from the field and 23.5 percent (4-17) from 3. UAFS finished at 36.2 percent (21-58) from the floor for the game.  
 
UAFS's Taylor registered a double-double of 23 points and 17 rebounds, 13 of those rebounds came in the first half.
 
The Hillcats end its four-game homestand with Randall on Tuesday (Jan. 30) at 6 p.m. inside the Claremore Expo Center. Follow the action on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.