A fourth-quarter rally saw the University of Arkansas at Monticello women’s basketball team pick up a last-second victory on Sunday.
UAM defeated Northwestern Oklahoma State 57-52 at Steelman Fieldhouse.
Northwestern (13-13, 10-10 GAC) led 45-38 entering the fourth quarter after outscoring the Cotton Blossoms 18-14 in the second quarter and 13-7 in the third. After a 3-point play by UAM senior Kelsey Blakemore 11 seconds into the fourth, Northwestern senior Carly Craig nailed a 3-pointer for the Lady Rangers with 9:01 to play
UAM (11-15, 6-14) did not allow another Northwestern field goal the rest of the game. The Blossoms went on a 7-0 run to tie the game before Northwestern senior forward Camille Thomas made two free throws with 2:11 remaining to give the Lady Rangers a 50-48 lead.
With 1:52 to play, junior Alindsey Long nailed a 3-pointer to put UAM ahead for the first time since late in the first half. Two Craig free throws cut it to 53-52, but a layup and two free throws by junior Camille Pritchard sealed the UAM victory.
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Blakemore led UAM with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists, all team highs. Bailey Harris followed with 12 points, and Pritchard scored 11. Craig led Northwestern with 14 points.
The win came despite Northwestern out-rebounding UAM 38-20, including 14-5 offensively.
UAM is now one game back of Southern Arkansas and Henderson State, who are tied for the final spot in the GAC tournament.
MEN: Northwestern 73, UAM 69
Northwestern Oklahoma State junior Camron McDowell scored 35 points to lead the Rangers past the UAM men.
McDowell shot 11 of 18 from the field, 3 of 5 from 3-point range and 10 of 11 from the free throw line. He also led the team in assists with seven. Mikey Hawkins, a junior, added 18 points for Northwestern (13-13, 10-10).
UAM (4-22, 1-19) led 6-4 early, but McDowell scored a pair of layups to put the Rangers ahead, and the Boll Weevils never led again. McDowell’s shots started a 16-2 run. Northwestern went on to lead by as much as 50-35 in the second half.
Later in the half, UAM used a 17-8 run to cut the deficit to 65-64, but a Hawkins 3-pointer kept the Rangers ahead. UAM sophomore Tadarius Jacobs hit a late 3 to cut it to 71-69, but McDowell sealed it with two free throws.
UAM sophomore Seth Grandberry led the Boll Weevils with 19 points, while Jacobs and junior Charles Temple scored 13 each.