Buffaloes Run Late For Win

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. ---  Northeastern State women's upset bid of 12-ranked West Texas A&M came up short Thursday night at Jack Dobbins Field House as the Lady Buffs escaped with a 62-55 Lone Star Conference victory.

It was West Texas' ninth consecutive victory as the Lady Buffs now 15-1 snapped Northeastern State's five-game winning streak as the RiverHawks fall to 10-4.

Northeastern State shot only 35 percent (19-of-54) as Alix Perkins led the NSU scoring attack with 19 points, 10 in the first half of play. Sarah Millar followed with 10 points.

West Texas had four players in double-figure scoring with Holly Isaacs leading the way with 14 points. Megan McLain and Joni Unruh scored 12 each as all of Unruh's points came at the free throw line. Jamie Simmons added 11 in the win.

Both clubs were deadly at the free throw line with the Lady Buffs converting 19-of-21 and Northeastern State 10-of13.

"I thought our kids played hard, it was a hard fought game by both teams," said Northeastern State head coach Randy Gipson. "They just made a couple of more plays than we did down the stretch that was the difference in the game."

The Riverhawks largest lead of the game was six points 51-44 with 6:30 remaining when Jasmine Webb hit a short jumper inside the paint.

"We just couldn't extend the lead when we had a chance too," said Gipson. "They got to the free throw line and cut a six-point lead to a tie game, all from the free throw line."

The Lady Buffs went on an 8-0 run all from the charity stripe to knot the score at 53-all with 3:30 left. Northeastern regained the lead on a basket by Cristy Nitz, however, West Texas tied it at 55-all, once again at the line on a pair of free throws by Unruh.

West Texas' Isaacs then drained a trey with 52 seconds remaining for a58-55 advantage and the RiverHawks failed the score the rest of the way as West Texas added to its total with four more free throws for the final verdict.

"You have to play good defense for the whole 30-second shot clock and we didn't quite do that," said Gipson. "They would either score or we'd foul with one or two seconds on the shot clock four or five times down the stretch of the game and that was the difference," said Gipson.

The RiverHawks battled back from a 10-2 deficit in the opening 20 minutes to grab its first lead of the game 22-20 with 2:20 remaining on a 3-point basket by Tosh Tyler.
NSU which shot a miserable 27 percent (8-29) in the first half, was led by Perkins, who scored the RiverHawks first 10 points of the game.

The Lady Buffs tied the game at 22-all on a Ashley Leven basket with 1:27 left, before the RiverHawks' Megan Fraley drained a trey from the right wing giving NSU a 25-23 lead after West Texas' Joni Unruh sank one of two free throws.

Northeastern increased its lead to four points when Cristy Nitz was fouled and she converted two free throws for a 27-23 Northeastern State lead with 33 seconds left in the half.
West Texas' Holly Isaacs then drove the lane for a basket to make it a 27-25 game at the intermission.