OBU women rally for OT victory

Trailing 38-29 at halftime Saturday, Ouachita Baptist University (11-15, 9-13 Great American Conference) outscored the University of Arkansas-Monticello 46-37 in the second half and 9-8 in overtime for an 84-83 victory at Steelman Fieldhouse in Monticello.

UAM (8-20, 4-18) led by as many as seven points in the second half, but needed a layup from Bailey Harris with 11 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 75-75. The Cotton Blossoms led 80-75 with 3:06 left in overtime after a three-pointer from Alindsey Long, but a three-pointer from Laney Mears, a layup from Grayson Fairless and a jumper from Madeline Tipton gave the Tigers an 82-80 lead with 27 seconds remaining. Mears hit two free throws with 10 seconds left to extend the lead to 84-80, before a three-pointer from Azaria Hulbert set the final score.

Mears led the Tigers with 23 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the floor, including five three-pointnrs, while Tipton finished with 20 and Fairless added 19. Long led the Cotton Blossoms with 17 points, Harris had 16 and Kelsey Blakemore chipped in with 14.

In other Great American Conference women’s games Saturday, Aubrey Isbell led Harding University (24-4, 19-3) with 20 points off the bench in 32 minutes, Josie Williams poured in 19 and Sage Hawley added 16 in a 92-84 victory over Henderson

State University (17-11, 13-9) at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia. Ashley Farrar led the Reddies with 24 points, while Jadah Pickens added 17 off the bench. … Arkansas Tech University (14-12, 11-11) outscored Southern Arkansas University 39-32 in the second half to pull away for a 61-52 victory at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center in Magnolia. ClaraGrace Prater and Dana Thompson scored 16 points each to lead the Golden Suns, while Diamond Morris led the Muleriders (13-15, 8-14) with 14 points.