Clarksville, Ark.-Sabrina Goddard scored a career-high 39 points on 13 field goals and 13 free throws to push Ozarks past Hardin-Simmons University 82-79 in American Southwest Conference play Saturday.
Goddard surpassed her previous career-high of 34 against Howard Payne last year after making 13-of-23 from the floor and 13-of-15 from the free throw line. Goddard, who finished with 10 rebounds, paced the Lady Eagles (4-3, 2-2 ASC) with 17 first half points. Ozarks owned the first ten minutes of the game as it held a 18-8 lead at the 12:21 mark. But the Cowgirls (2-4, 1-3 ASC) eventually tied the game, 22-22, with 8:27 remaining and went into halftime with a 41-37 lead.
Hardin-Simmons held the lead for the first eight minutes of the second half before Ozarks made a run behind the inside play of Goddard and the deft passing of guard Lacey Phillips. Phillips contributed six second half assists that led to a number of easy baskets. Trailing 71-70 with five minutes left, Goddard went to work down low to give Ozarks a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. The Lady Eagles also got a boost in the second half from April Young, who drilled three three-pointers, including one at the 8:17 mark to give Ozarks a 66-63 lead.
Ozarks hit 20-of-24 from the free throw line in the game, including 16-of-18 in the second half to fuel its comeback.
Young added 17 points behind a 3-of-7 performance from the three-point line. Phillips ended with 10 assists.
Ozarks will travel to Texas Lutheran and Schreiner University for American Southwest Conference games December 9 and December 10.
Topics: Athletics