Waxahachie, Texas- November 7, 2015 – It took double overtime, but the Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) women’s basketball team pulled it out. They beat Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU), 85-81.
In the first two games of the season OKWU averaged 101 points per game.
“I’m speechless. These girls showed so much heart and fight tonight,” says head coach Tiffany Phillips , “I’m just so proud of everyone on the team and the resiliency they showed. We were down 10-12 points at one point and just clawed and fought back. I told them going into the 2nd overtime that this was our game and this was our time. They believed and they went out and did it.”
SAGU jumped out to the early lead in the first quarter, going up by eight points in the first three minutes of the game. OKWU battled back and ended up leading SAGU 20-19 by the end of the first.
Six minutes left in the third, OKWU went up by their biggest lead of the night, leading by 11 points. SAGU didn’t lose hope and continued to battle back.
With about seven minutes left in the game, SAGU’s Taylor Hill scored two free throws, followed by Laken Ward and Charity Page each making one free throw. Four made free throws led to SAGU tying the game. With 3:42 left on the clock, OKWU went up by three points after a basket made by Susan Ageson. On SAGU’s next possession, Charity Page cut the lead to one point. The score went back and forth by a point or two in each direction. The game ended 68-68 and was forced into overtime.
In the first overtime, SAGU’s Ward made a basket followed by a made three point shot by Meghan Becker. The Lady Lions went up 73-68. However, the first overtime ended tied, 75-75.
In the final two minutes of the second overtime, SAGU’s Taylor Hill went six for six on free throws and Laken Hill went two for two. The 100% free throw shooting in the second overtime led to an 85-81 victory.
The Lady Lions had four players who scored in the double digits. Laken Ward had a career high of 28 points. Senior Taylor Hill added 22 points, junior Charity Page had 13 points and Ebony Colbert added 10.
Laken Ward had a stand-out game all around, adding to her 28 points, she also had 17 rebounds.
SAGU will play University of St. Thomas-Houston on Saturday, November 7, 2015 at 4pm. It will be the last game held in the SAGU Classic. This will be the Lady Lions fourth game in five days.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
Contact: Natalie Tristan, SAGU SID, [email protected]
