Women's Basketball | 11/29/2019 6:30:00 PM

Box Score SAN ANTONIO, Texas – In the opening game of the OLLU Saints Classic, the Oklahoma Panhandle State University women's basketball team suffered a 94-65 loss to host Our Lady of the Lake University, the NAIA's No. 6-ranked team in the nation. The loss dropped the Aggies to 3-4 overall on the young season.
 
After the Saints reeled off the first five points of the game, Panhandle battled back to get to within five points, 16-11, on a short jumper by Lowendie Laporal with 3:35 left in the opening period. However, after that juncture, OLLU went on a 12-0 run to open things up and would finish the opening stanza on a 20-4 run. Both teams blazed the nets in the first 10 minutes, with the Saints hitting 72 percent and the Aggies 60 percent from the floor.
 
Unfortunately for OPSU, a stagnant second quarter start all but sealed the team's fate. OLLU extended its scoring spree by booking the first 10 points – extending its run to 30-4 over a nine-minute span – before Panhandle finally tallied in the second at 4:15 left on a Hannah Bennett layup.
 
The Saints took a 57-24 lead into the halftime locker room. OLLU extended that to 72-37 after three periods.
 
OPSU was its own worst enemy, committing a total of 27 turnovers and 16 of those being unforced. OLLU converted those Aggie miscues into 32 points during the afternoon, 25 of those coming in the first half. The Saints also converted their 11 offense rebounds into 18 second-chance points (OPSU was out-rebounded, 39-32).
 
Shay Audrain led Panhandle State with 11 points, hitting 4-of-7 from the field overall and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. She also had a pair of rebounds.
 
Sophomore Kaylee Morgan also hit double-figure scoring with 10 points, buoyed by a 5-of-6 effort from the free throw line. Morgan had a team-leading four assists and gathered three rebounds.
 
Shaylynn Choate chipped in nine points and Cassia McCaskill eight. McCaskill had an Aggie-best five rebounds, after making 3-of-4 field goal tries.
 
Redshirt freshman Vanessa Gonzales gave her team seven points. Nadia Hayes added five points and three boards, as did teammate Naomi Rodriguez.
 
Laura Moya Demures and Skylar Cleavinger each scored three points. Bennett and Laporal finished with two points, apiece, to round out the OPSU scoring.
 
The Aggies will play their second game of the OLLU Saints Classic on Saturday (4 p.m.) versus Keiser University (Fla.).