Basketball Teams Slip Past Northwestern

ALVA – Locked in a battle to make the conference tournament, the USAO basketball teams got a boost after a doubleheader sweep Monday over Northwestern. The Drover women slipped past the Lady Rangers 73-66 in overtime, while the men made a last-second shot for a 66-64 win over the Rangers.

With their win, the USAO women improve to 8-19 overall and 3-13 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The men move up to 9-16 overall and 6-10 in the SAC. USAO ends the regular season at home this weekend, beginning on Thursday at 6 p.m. against John Brown, Ark., and Saturday at 6 p.m. against Southern Nazarene.

Down by three points with 13 seconds left, USAO junior Katie Sterling hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie it at 58-58 and force overtime with Northwestern. Spurred by a 9-0 run to open the overtime, the Drovers cruised from there to the 73-66 win. Senior Christal Merriweather hit four of the Drovers’ six free throws in the extra period.

USAO struggled in the first half, connecting on just 26 percent from the field. The Drovers, however, made 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and trailed 23-22 at halftime. Things improved greatly for USAO in the second half, as the Drovers hit 47 percent from the field and 7-of-15 from 3-point range.

Merriweather finished with a game-high 28 points, along with six rebounds and four assists. Sterling was the only other Drover in double figures with 20 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Junior Christina Brown had nine points for the Drovers.

In the men’s game, senior Tony Jimmerson hit a basket at the buzzer to give USAO a 66-64 win, avenging a 3-point loss to Northwestern Jan. 10 in Chickasha. The Drovers led by as many as eight points in the second half, before the Rangers drew even at 64-64 on a 3-pointer by Henry Morris.

Senior Wayne Gibson led four Drovers in double figures with 15 points and 10 rebounds, his fourth double-double of the season. Senior Keith Miller and sophomore Avery Stevenson had 12 points each, while Miller had a game-high six assists. Junior Nate Foster came off the bench for 11 points on 3-of-6 from 3-point range. Jimmerson finished with six points.