CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – It got a little too close for comfort, but these YellowJackets keep grinding.
LeTourneau University women's basketball team beat the University of the Ozarks, 78-69, Thursday to improve to 7-1 overall, 3-0 in American Southwest Conference play. They'll take a six-game win streak into Saturday's 1 p.m. matinee at the University of Texas at Dallas.
Ozarks was playing just its third game, but despite falling behind by double digits in the first half, the Eagles (0-3, 0-3 ASC) didn't go quietly. The Jackets led by 16 following a
Briona Andrews triple less than four minutes into the second half. But the Eagles whittled the gap down to six after Angela Wyatt sank a pair of free throws with 1:37 to play in the third quarter. Her two free throws culminated a 16-6 run to end the period.
Stevie Perkins' layup 1:09 into the fourth quarter pulled the Eagles within three, 54-51, before LETU's
Malacia Guy answered on the other end.
Ajanae Thomas, who finished with a career-best 31 points, converted a three-point play with 5:21 remaining to bump the YellowJackets back in front by seven. The Eagles got within four on three more occasions, the last time when Kerigan Bradshaw sank a pair of free throws with 52 seconds remaining. But Guy and Thomas combined to sink seven of eight free throws down the stretch to preserve the win.
Thomas was 16 of 19 from the free throw line, and had six rebounds and two steals. Guy went 8-for-10 from the stripe, finishing with 18 points, four assists and two steals.
Scruffy Hopkins added 10 points, a career-high six steals and four assists. Andrews had 10 points.
Flora Akingbade had 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.
Bradshaw finished with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. Kamryn McKinney had 10 points and five boards for the Eagles, who outscored the Jackets, 40-30, in the paint.
LETU was 31 of 40 from the free throw line. It marks the second time this year the YellowJackets have sunk 31 free throws in a game.
With the win, LeTourneau moved ahead of the Ozarks in the series history, 23-22, in the NCAA era. The Jackets also broke a 10-10 tie in the series, which dates back exactly 11 years to Jan. 14, 2010.
