Lady Eagles Take Down Comets in Overtime

NEVADA, Mo. – The Williams Baptist University women's basketball team won in dramatic fashion over American Midwest Conference foe Cottey College by the score of 75-71 in overtime.

Kaylee Clark led all scorers with 25 points on the night, while Carmen Taylor and Nijah Moore both added 18.  Taylor Hooten led the team in rebounds with 13.

The Eagles shot 43.8 percent from the field as a team, and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.  The Lady Eagles out-rebounded the Comets 41-33, and scored 16 points off turnovers. The game featured eight ties and five lead changes.

The WBU offense woke up in the third quarter with Taylor pouring on 12 points and Clark adding eight more to give the Lady Eagles a 50-48 lead at the end of the third.

WBU would continue the momentum, carrying a 12-0 run into the fourth quarter, and taking the team's largest lead of the night with 4:26 left to go. Despite this, Cottey fought back to tie the game at 64 and send the contest to overtime.

Clark's three-pointer would put the Eagles up 69-66 in overtime. Cottey tied the game back at 71, but Clark drew a foul and made her free throws to put the Eagles back on top, 73-71. Hooten would ice the game by securing a steal, drawing the foul, and sinking both free shots to put the Eagles up by two scores. Cottey missed the final shot to send the Eagles to victory. 

The game was a shootout all the way through. After an opening 5-0 run by WBU, the Comets fought back to take a 20-18 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Eagles offense struggled in the second quarter, only managing eight points.  The defense kept the lead manageable, though, as WBU went into the half down 30-26.

The effort secured the Eagles first American Midwest Conference win of the season, bringing the team's conference record up to 1-1. The team also moves to 8-3 overall on the year.

The Lady Eagles will return to conference action Thursday, Jan. 9 in Conway, Ark. against Central Baptist College. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.