**For Immediate Release**
Lady Aggies Keep Rolling with 79-74 Victory
by Scott Puryear of Aggie Sports on 02/06/06

Goodwell, OK - It wasn’t easy, but the Oklahoma Panhandle State women’s basketball team clawed their way to a 79-74 victory over Western New Mexico in Silver City, N.M. on Saturday. It was the Lady Aggies’ second win over WNM in as many nights and their seventh straight as they stayed in hot pursuit of Montana State-Billings for the Heartland Conference title.

It was tough NCAA Division II basketball from start to finish, and the radio audience as well as those in attendance enjoyed a great game. WNM came out for the opening tip with great determination, and it was a see-saw battle for almost the entire contest with the game tied at 32-32 at the halftime break.

The second half was much the same. With five minutes left, the Lady Aggies knew they had to make a strong move, which is exactly what they did. With 4:24 left in the game, it was tied at 64-64 but a clutch three-point play by Nina Kuleff put the Lady Aggies up 67-64.

WNM stayed right in it, and OPSU held a slim 74-72 advantage with 38 seconds remaining. However, Bridgett Boykin coolly nailed a 3-pointer to put the Lady Aggies ahead by five. Both teams exchanged baskets in the final seconds, and the Lady Aggies went home with a 79-74 victory. Their season record now stands at 13-10.

OPSU’s excellent sophomore guard Taneisha Rogers did not play Saturday night due to a rib injury received during the previous night’s win. Rogers is expected to be back in action soon.

OPSU head coach Jerry Olson had nothing but praise for the opposing team. He also commended the stellar performances from Boykin, Kuleff, Brandi Lewis, and Sarah Furgeson.

Kuleff is making a serious bid for Heartland Conference Player of the Year. On Saturday, the six-footer from Phoenix, Ariz. had yet another double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Furgeson and Lewis, who played with a painfully sore knee, each put in a dozen, and Boykin was “bombs away,” scoring all of her 18 points in the decisive second half.

The Lady Aggies are 6-2 in the conference standings, trailing only Montana State-Billings, with whom they have split two games in league play. The Lady Aggies head to San Antonio on Thursday to play the University of the Incarnate Word and will stay in town to play St. Mary’s on Saturday. Both schools are Heartland Conference opponents.

-30-