**For Immediate Release**
Lady Aggies Fall to East Central, 57-51
by Scott Puryear on 01/03/05

Ada, OK - In their first game of 2006, the Oklahoma Panhandle State women’s basketball team visited the Lady Tigers of East Central University on Monday night and lost a hard fought game, 57-51.

East Central is a solid team that came into the game riding a four game winning streak. The Lady Aggies, entering the contest with a season record of 6-6, were up for a big win in their final game before Heartland Conference play goes into full swing.

It was a tight battle in the first half and the Lady Aggies led for most of it with a good team effort, especially on the defensive end. OPSU was up 22-16 with two minutes to play in the opening period, but soon a three point bomb by Bridgett Boykin put the Lady Aggies ahead by ten (26-16). OPSU held a 26-18 lead as the teams went to intermission.

Nina Kuleff of OPSU scored quickly as the second half began and the Lady Aggies were back to a ten point lead (28-18). However, East Central went on an 8-0 run to narrow OPSU’s margin to 28-26.

East Central continued to push and took a 32-30 lead with just under 13 minutes to play in the contest, but not long after, OPSU’s Taneisha Rogers nailed a three point rocket to put the Lady Aggies back ahead, 33-32.

The advantage continued to alternate between the two teams in a very physical game, and it was tied at 43 each at the six minute mark.

As the clock wound down, both teams tried very hard for the win. The Lady Aggies gave a valiant effort, but East Central converted their free throws down the stretch, and picked up the 57-51 win.

Post game, OPSU coach Jerry Olson said his team did not block out well enough and made too many mistakes. “We just weren’t mentally tough enough,” the veteran mentor also said. Olson added that the team had to concentrate on the little things quite a bit more.

Rogers scored 18 for the Lady Aggies and Kuleff had 17 to go with her eight rebounds. Michelle Kennedy also pulled down eight boards for OPSU.

The Lady Aggies (now 6–7) will board the bus later in the week for the 715 mile one-way trip to Montana to face Montana State University-Billings. MSUB was the preseason pick to win the Heartland Conference and the Lady Aggies were picked second. However, in the first match of the season between them on November 28, OPSU picked up a 67-56 victory. The teams will play in Billings on both Friday and Saturday.

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