Women's Basketball | 12/28/2019 5:40:00 PM

Box Score ESPANOLA, N.M. – Oklahoma Panhandle State University women's basketball could not hold off a stubborn Northern New Mexico College squad, losing a 71-68 non-conference decision at the Eagle Memorial Sportsplex. The loss dropped the Aggies to 4-6 overall, while the Eagles improved to 2-16.
 
Panhandle got off to a slow start in the first eight minutes of the opening quarter, as the Eagles built what would be their largest lead of the game, 17-8, with 1:39 left in the period. However, OPSU clawed its way back in the waning seconds of the opening stanza and into the next quarter, with a 6-0 run that made it 17-14 at the 9:02 mark the second.
 
By halftime, Panhandle State was able to overtake NNMC. A three-pointer from Shaylynn Choate knotted it at 19-19 at 6:46 until intermission and, just over a minute later, a Naomi Rodriguez long-distance make gave OPSU its first lead of the game. The Aggies carried a 35-29 advantage into halftime.
 
NNMC came out for the second half on a tear, outscoring the Aggies with an 8-2 run to tie it at 37-37 less than four minutes into the third quarter. But OPSU continued to use the three-ball to its advantage and, by period's end, had extended its cushion to 55-47.
 
After the Eagles opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back baskets to get within two scores, OPSU answered with two in a row of its own from Kaylee Morgan and Lowendie Laporal at 6:49.  As NNMC kept inching closer, Shay Audrain uncorked her fourth three-ball of the game with 2:20 left to play to give Panhandle the 66-59 lead and seemingly thwart the Eagles.
 
Unfortunately for the Aggies, NNMC kept coming. With OPSU ahead 68-66, the Eagles made what would be their only three-point basket of the fourth period with 10 seconds left in the game to give the hosts their first lead in more than 24 minutes, 69-68. OPSU missed a late three-point attempt and NNMC made its free throws for the 71-68 final score.
 
Audrain, a freshman, had her collegiate-high scoring game by pouring in 18 points, buoyed by the quartet of three-pointers, for her eighth double-digit scoring effort in 10 games. Audrain hit 5-of-16 from the floor overall, went 4-for-12 from beyond the arc and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw stripe. She also had a pair of rebounds.
 
Shaylynn Choate matched Audrain's four baskets from three-point country, finishing the afternoon with 14 points. Choate was 50 percent from long distance, 4-of-8, and made good on 5-of-14 overall from the floor. She also led the Aggies with five rebounds and added a pair of assists.
 
Naomi Rodriguez was Panhandle's third double-figure scorer with 13 points, thanks to three treys on her ledger.
 
Lowendie Laporal chipped in five points and four rebounds off the OPSU bench. Laura Moya Demures, Kaylee Morgan and Hannah Bennett each tallied four points. Vanessa Gonzales, Skylar Cleavinger and Nadia Hayes booked two points each to cap the Aggie scoring. 
 
Bennett, Hayes and Morgan each had three rebounds. Morgan had a team-leading four assists.
 
Panhandle State will next be in action on January 2, resuming Sooner Athletic Conference play at Texas Wesleyan University.