OTTAWA, Kan. – The Ottawa University women's basketball team snapped its three game losing streak, defeating the University of Saint Mary 77-68 on Thursday night in Wilson Field House.

The teams exchanged points in the first six minutes of the first quarter with USM taking a 16-15 lead over the Braves with 4:01 on the clock. The OU defensive intensity picked up in the final four minutes of the first. OU held Saint Mary to three points for the remainder of the quarter, finishing the first on a 10-3 run to take a 25-18 lead into the second.

Ottawa continued to put pressure on the Spires. The Braves went on a 14-4 run, taking a 39-22 lead on a 3-pt field goal by Nora Ford with 3:50 left in the half. The Spires cut OU's lead to 13 points, 39-26, but five straight points by Ford pushed the OU lead to 18 points, 44-26. A basket by the Spires trimmed OU's lead to 16 points. The Brave responded with baskets by Anna Eldridge and Janiyah Hendricks in the final minute of the half, taking a 48-28 lead into the locker room.

In the third quarter, USM cut into the Brave lead. The Spires were able to get OU's lead under 10 points and were within 57-48 with 53 seconds remaining in the third quarter. After a defensive stop by the Braves, Ottawa rebounded the ball with 10 seconds left in the third. Hendricks pushed the ball up the floor and found an open Dominique Schutte at the top of the key for three. Her shot was good and the Braves had a 60-48 lead at the start of the fourth.

The Braves increased their lead to 19 points, 70-51, on basket by Abbie Sextro with 5:45 to go in the fourth quarter. USM did not go away and cut OU"s lead to seven points, 73-66. Ottawa pushed its lead to nine points, 75-66, on a Sextro basket with 1:06 left in regulation.

Two free throws by the Spires cut OU's lead to seven points, 75-68 with 36 seconds on the clock. Saint Mary was forced to foul and Tiyani Rollins went to the line. She made both free throws and OU led 77-68 with 30 seconds on the clock. Ottawa's defense forced a turnover and the Braves ran out the clock, taking the 77-68 victory.

Inside the Box Score

• Ottawa shot 42.3 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 64.7 percent from the free throw line.
• Nora Ford led the Braves with a double-double. She scored 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Ford also had two assists and three steals.
• Dominique Schutte was the other Brave in double digits. She had 11 points.
• Abbie Sextro finished the game with nine points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
• Janiyah Hendricks led OU with eight assists and five steals.

Who is Next
Ottawa (9-18, 6-15) finishes the season on Saturday, February 22 on the road at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kan. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m.
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