Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Winning Streak Snapped

ALVA – Despite four Drovers finishing in double figures including a whopping 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting from Kartesha Rambo, a five-game winning streak came to an end Thursday night for the University of Science and Arts’ women at the hands of Northwestern Oklahoma 76-67 on the road.

Rambo posted 20 points for the second time this season, and sophomore Charite Lewis scored 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season and her second in as many games. Yesi Castillo and Je’antel Haynes posted 12 and 11 points each, but with the absence of junior shooting guard Sasha Ferguson, the USAO bench only managed eight points.

NWOSU had four players score over 15 points led by DeShanna Butler who hit 10-of-14 from the free throw line. McKenzie Mallory hit five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points.

USAO, which was ranked No. 29 in this week’s national poll, fells to 10-7 overall and 6-4 in the league with a Monday night matchup against Oklahoma Christian looming. OC, which beat USAO earlier in the season without Rambo or Castillo, is coming off a 66-52 loss to Southern Nazarene. USAO is still in fifth place alone, but with Thursday’s loss, the Drovers are now two games behind a three-way tie for second and three games behind first place.

Suffering its second loss in a row Thursday night 59-53 at NWOSU, the USAO men are looking up at the rest of the conference and missed a great opportunity to catch the pack since St. Gregory’s, Rogers State and Oklahoma Christian all lost Thursday night.

The Drovers jumped out to a quick 15-9 lead led by DeAngelo Alexander’s 10 first-half points, but an 11-0 Ranger run turned the tide midway through the half. Alexander scored a game- and career-high 21 points on 10-of-15 shooting. The senior forward also grabbed 13 rebounds for his fourth career double-double and his third in six games this season.

Tim Nelson had another big game with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Nelson knocked down four 3-pointers, and he has hit 16 3-pointers in his last four games at an astounding 62.0 percent. Thomas Woods, the team’s second leading scorer at 15.5 points per game, was limited to only to only 1-of-2 from the floor in 12 minutes of action.

USAO begins a four-game home stand with Monday’s game against OC beginning at 6 p.m.

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