By: Justin Wollard, Media Relations Director
Box score | Season stats
BOLIVAR, Mo. -- Behind career highs from a pair of freshmen, the SBU Bearcats earned a 72-69 win over Ouachita Baptist. Freshman Chasity Prince came off the bench to lead the Bearcats with career high 15 points. Kourtni Williams also had a career high with nine points including seven of nine from the foul line.
"We matured tonight. Our freshmen played well and really stepped up," said SBU head coach J.C. Carter. Chasity came up big for us. Kourtni competed hard in practice and earned her playing time. Freddie Sims also played well."
Sims led SBU with six rebounds to go along with seven points. Courtney Heady had 10 points for the Bearcats, while Jasmine Sanford added nine points and five boards.
The Bearcats (2-7, 0-2 MIAA) jumped out to a 9-0 lead before extending their margin to 14 with just eight minutes gone in the first half. Ouachita Baptist (7-2, 0-0 GSC) would battle back to within three points just before the half. A three from Mia Gilreath gave the Bearcats a 35-29 edge at the break.
"Our start really set the tone," added Carter. "We've gone up in other games, but tonight we really handled the lead well." The Bearcats forced 20 Lady Tiger turnovers. That style, along with two SBU starters in foul trouble most of the night, led to several more players seeing significant action. "We used our whole team and they were all contributing, which gave them confidence," said Carter.
SBU's largest lead in the second half was eight points (54-46) with 11:13 to go. Though the Lady Tigers did tie the game twice in the second half, SBU never trailed in the game. SBU was 13 of 17 in the second half from the foul line.
Beulah Osueke was one of four Lady Tigers in double figures and led with 14 points and nine rebounds.
The win snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Bearcats. SBU won their season opener over Maryville before a tough stretch against several nationally-ranked opponents.
SBU is off for Christmas break and returns to action next Monday night, December 28, in Joplin, when they take on Missouri Southern starting at 7:00 p.m.
