**For Immediate Release**
Cold Shooting Dooms the Lady Aggies in Loss to Newman
by Scott Puryear of Aggie Sports on 11/23/05

Goodwell, OK - Fresh off their tournament championship in the Comfort Inn Classic last weekend, the Oklahoma Panhandle State Lady Aggie basketball team traveled to Wichita for a match-up with Newman University on Tuesday evening. Doomed by cold shooting from the start, even a second half comeback could not prevent a Newman win - 70-58.

Newman shot 42% in the first half, compared to OPSU’s 22% and that was the major factor in Newman’s 40-22 halftime lead. Post-game, OPSU coach Jerry Olson was critical of his team’s performance in the opening half (which included 18 turnovers).

This year’s Lady Aggie team does not wear their hearts on their sleeves and they played hard (and performed better) in the second half and outscored Newman 38-30.

OPSU won the battle of the boards, with a rebounding edge of 47-37, but had 25 turnovers to Newman’s 19.

Olson added that the Lady Aggies played much better in the second half and that they must continue to show that kind of effort. With the loss, OPSU evened their season record at 2-2.

Taneisha Rogers, Brandi Lewis and Nina Kuleff each had 13 points for OPSU, and Kuleff led her team with 17 rebounds. Laura Wilson added ten points and had four steals.

The Lady Aggies have their home opener on Monday (11/28) at 7:00 p.m. against the Yellowjackets of Montana State University-Billings.

It shapes up to be an outstanding game between the two teams. The Lady Aggies were picked third in the Heartland Conference pre-season poll and the Yellowjackets were picked as number one. The league title won’t officially be decided until March, but fans will get a preview on Monday evening as to who may win the Heartland Championship.