LANGSTON, Okla. -  Junior transfer Laura Moya Demures had a team-leading 17 points, but the Oklahoma Panhandle State University women's basketball team could not overcome Langston University, 66-52, in a Sooner Athletic Conference match-up on the road.
 
Naomi Rodriguez popped a three-pointer to open the game's scoring by OPSU. With just over three minutes left in the opening period, Lowendie Laporal's basket and free throw gave the Aggies a brief 10-8 advantage. The Lions would go on to hold a 17-12 lead after the less-than-artistic first quarter by both teams, with a combined 17 turnovers (10 by OPSU; 7 by Langston).
 
(The clubs would finish with 48 total miscues.)
 
Down 20-12 early in the second frame, Moya Demures had a three-point play at the 7:37 juncture, and added a field goal a few seconds, later to make it 20-17. But after that point, Panhandle went more than five minutes without a point and LU took advantage by going on a 10-0 run to lead 30-17.
 
Cassia McCaskills bucket at 2:03 until halftime finally broke the Aggies' scoring drought. Langston would eventually head to the intermission up on OPSU by a 33-22 margin.
 
Any hopes for an OPSU comeback took a hit to open the second half, as the visitors did not score for the first 4:11 of the third quarter on a Moya Demures basket. But by that time, the Lions had extended their lead to 17 points, ahead 41-24 before Moya Demures' tally. Langston led 45-29 after three.
 
Panhandle State made one last big run at LU early in the fourth quarter. The Aggies began to chip away at the deficit and, when Nadia Hayes got and offensive rebound and put-back basket, OPSU trailed by just six (49-43) with 4:11 to play. But the Aggie rally would run out of steam and Langston pushed its cushion back to double figures to finish.
 
Moya Demures had her second-best scoring game as an Aggie, with her 17 points, after an 8-for-16 day from the field. She also corralled three rebounds.
 
Redshirt freshman Vanessa Gonzalez connected on 4-of-7 shooting, on her way to nine points. Gonzalez also hauled in three caroms.
 
Choate, Kaylee Morgan and Hannah Bennett each pulled down four rebounds.