GOODWELL, Okla. -  Despite leading at the half, the Oklahoma Panhandles State University women's basketball team could not hold on and suffered a 69-56 Sooner Athletic Conference loss at home to John Brown University.
 
The Aggies found themselves in a 15-5 hole early, before ending the first quarter down 17-10. The second stanza was where OPSU made its move to get back into the game. A layup by Shay Audrain, followed by a Cassia McCaskill free throw, gave Panhandle an 18-17 lead. That was parlayed into a 31-30 halftime lead for the Aggies.
 
The Golden Eagles flew into the second half with a 10-3 run to forge ahead, 41-33. But Panhandle State was able to claw its way back at the close of the third – and beginning of the fourth – quarter. A runner in the paint by Vanessa Gonzalez cut the OPSU deficit to 46-43 through three quarters, before back-to-back baskets by McCaskill to open the final period gave OPSU a 47-46 lead with 7:07 left in regulation.
 
After JBU regained the upper hand, OPSU was able to get back to within a single point, 52-51, on a reverse baseline layup by Laura Moya Demures at the 4:51 mark. Unfortunately, that would be as close as Panhandle would get, as the Golden Eagles ended the game on an 18-5 run to secure the win.
 
Senior transfer Lowendie Laporal was the Aggies' only double-figure scorer with 10 points. Laporal hit 4-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-2 free throw attempts. She also had five rebounds.
 
Moya Demures tallied nine points, along with four assists and two steals. Shaylynn Choate had eight points, including two of OPSU's four baskets from three-point range. McCaskill had a solid overall effort, with even points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal.
 
The Golden Eagles out-rebounded Panhandle State, 47-43. The teams combined for 32 turnovers (17 by the Aggies and 15 from JBU). Each team had nine steals.