Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Women Win Fifth in a Row

SHAWNEE – Led by 18 points from sophomore Charite Lewis and four 3-pointers from Kartesha Rambo, the University of Science and Arts’ women turned a tight game at St. Gregory’s into a 76-53 route Saturday night earning the team’s fifth straight win. The USAO men were not so fortunate, as they hit a cold-shooting stretch late and fell 62-57 to the SGU men.

Six first-half 3-pointers by SGU and a sluggish defensive performance helped the lowly Lady Cavs to a 30-26 halftime lead. In the second half, Sasha Ferguson hit three 3-pointers on her way to 11 points, and she got the USAO women started on a 46-13 run. The Drovers held SGU to only 21.4 percent shooting from the floor in the second half while USAO exploded with almost 20 field goals and hit 6-of-6 from 3-point land.

Lewis led the team in scoring for the sixth time this season, and she also pulled down a game- and career-high 14 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Rambo scored in double figures for the third time in four games with 16 points on 6-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the 3-point line.

Yesi Castillo failed to score in double figures for the first time this season, but she did score eight points on 3-of-6 shooting and grab eight rebounds, with two assists, two steals and a blocked shot. The USAO women improve to 10-6 overall and 6-3 in the league, and the team is alone in fifth place halfway through the conference schedule.

The Drovers travel to Northwestern Oklahoma (4-11, 2-7) Thursday before a four-game home stand beginning Monday with Oklahoma Christian (8-8, 4-5).

The USAO men came up empty on their last three possessions of the game as SGU fended off the Drovers and stopped a two-game winning streak. The Drover stat sheet looked good with the team hitting 40.4 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-point land and 68.8 percent from the free throw line. But SGU one-upped USAO by hitting 49 percent of its shots, most of which came from the paint area.

Four Drovers scored in double figures led by 14 points from Tim Nelson and Thomas Woods. Woods was 6-of-9 from the field, and Nelson hit four 3-pointers. DeAngelo Alexander hit 5-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from the line to finish with 13 points and 10 rebounds. And Eli Flores scored 12 points and added three blocked shots.

Only five Drovers scored, though, as USAO fell to 7-8 overall and 3-6 in the league with a road game Thursday at Northwestern Oklahoma (9-5, 5-4). The men have a chance to regain some momentum with home games coming Monday against Oklahoma Christian (6-10, 3-6), Jan. 31 versus Wayland Baptist (10-6, 6-3), Feb. 2 versus Lubbock Christian (9-7, 3-6) and Mid-America Christian (7-9, 3-6).

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