Clarksville, Ark.-The Lady Eagles needed a free throw in the waning moments by freshman LaTisha McCalister to secure a 67-66 win over scrappy Louisiana College in American Southwest Conference play on Thursday night.
Ozarks (10-10, 9-8) led for almost the entire game, including holding a 31-27 halftime lead, but Louisiana College (3-15, 3-13) took the lead with 7:00 minutes remaining in the second half after a jumper by Carol Elder. Trailing 66-64 with 1:46 left, Ozarks’ Mandi Carter scored two of her game-high 25 points to tie the contest with 1:32 left. Louisiana College was unable to convert on their next two possessions and then sent McCalister to the line with 20 seconds remaining. McCalister hit one-of-two, but it would be enough as the Lady Wildcats misfired on their last shot of the game with seven seconds left. Carter carried the Lady Eagles throughout the game, scoring numerous baskets in the low post, and in the process surpassed the 1,000-point plateau for her career. Her three-point play at the 5:07 mark in the first half put her over the career mark. She has 1,015 career points and 559 career rebounds and is just 102 points and 40 rebounds away from cracking the school’s top ten in each category. The 6-1 junior from Clarksville shot 12-of-18 from the floor in the win. Carter also had 8 rebounds. Louisiana College’s sophomore guard Edie Leonards nearly recorded a triple-double in the game. The 5-7 guard from Hackberry, Louisiana, scored 16 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 9 assists in the loss. Ozarks held a 13-point lead in the first half when Shareka Alexander hit a shot at the 8:59 mark, but it was Louisiana College that reeled of 10 straight points to finish out the half. The Lady Wildcats held a 50-36 rebounding edge in the game. Alexander finished with 12 points, shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the field. Lori Moon had 7 assists. The Lady Eagles will host Mississippi College on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
Topics: Athletics