Oklahoma Panhandle State University

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Fort Smith, Ark.—Tatyana Bell and Antonio Manns, Jr. each earned game-high numbers Saturday against two tough teams from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith; both Aggie teams suffered conference losses despite tremendous efforts from the players.

Bell earned her fourth double-double of the season against a Lady Lion team that was ranked second in the Heartland Conference prior to Saturday's game. Scoring 17 of the Aggies' first-half points, Bell put up game-highs totaling 27 points and 11 rebounds. For the game Bell went 16-19 from the line and currently sits second in the conference for free-throw percentage averaging 88.5 percent on the season.

The Aggie women gave UAFS a run for their money, playing hard throughout the game. Celci Bakos tied things up at 21-21 with a layup at the 9:38 mark in the first half; Ketyra Saunders followed up with another layup good for two to pull the Aggies into the lead 23-21 with 9:04 on the clock. OPSU went into the break with an eight point deficit (38-46); UAFS capitalized on 15 lost balls scoring 18 points off Aggie turnovers in the first half.

Hannah Tatum got the Aggies going in the second half with a jump shot off an offensive rebound to open up the scoring. Bell and Bakos combined for the next four points to pull the Aggies within three points of the Lady Lions with plenty of time on the clock (45-48). That would be the closest they would come as UAFS went on to sink 10 of their next 14 shots and gained a 15-point lead over five minutes' time. The Aggies took a 17-point loss in the end (76-93) and UAFS earned their 12th conference victory.

Bakos finished with ten points for the Aggies, the teams' second-leading scorer behind Bell. Larisha Chandler contributed seven of the Aggies' 48 total rebounds. Jasmine Brainard led the Lady Lions in scoring with 18 points; Brainard also earned a double-double with 10 rebounds and offered a game-high of seven assists. The Aggies fall to 3-21 overall with one win in the Heartland Conference.

Antonio Manns. Jr. grabbed his 12th game-high score this season totaling 26 points against the overall leading team in the conference. Manns currently leads the Heartland Conference in scoring averaging 21.6 points per game.

The Lions held the Aggies to a 29 percent shooting percentage for the game and outscored them in the paint by 22 points.  The Aggies were down 29-61 at the half with Manns already leading the game in scoring with 13 points including two three-pointers and five of six shots from the line. UAFS shot 65 percent in the first half and finished the game averaging 58 percent from the field and 85 percent from the line.

Three Lions dipped into the twenties in scoring with Seth Youngblood leading the team at 24 points;  Kenny Martin earned a double-double with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds and Blake Branham knocked down an even 20 for his team.  Alex Cooper also earned a double-double for the Lions with 14 points and a game-high ten assists. The UAFS men now sit in a three-way tie for first in the Heartland with 11 conference wins; Rogers State and St. Mary's also own 11 wins each.

Manns shared the team-high in rebounds with Jared Straight, each bringing down five boards. John Lazenby was the next leading scorer for the Aggies totaling 13 points, and Marquavius Williams led his team in assists with five. The Aggies, with one conference win, drop to 3-21 on the season with the loss.

OPSU Head Coach Jerry Olson states that his team "must play harder on the defensive end. We continue to really struggle to guard anybody. Offensively, we need to give Antonio and John some help; if they don't hit shots we are going to struggle."

The Aggies will wrap up their home season this week with another PINK OUT night on Thursday, Feb. 19 as they take on the University of Texas-Permian Basin; the women tip off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men at 7:30 p.m. The PINK OUT is in support of breast cancer awareness and proceeds from the night's activities will benefit Jennifer Lazenby to help in her fight. Seniors will be recognized at Saturday's games as the Aggies close out their home season against St. Edward's University; games begin at 1 p.m.