MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women's basketball team lost a 72-61 contest at home against 21st ranked Southwestern Oklahoma State University from the Steelman Field House in Monticello, Arkansas on Thursday.
 
The Blossoms fell behind due to some rough shooting in the first half. UAM finished the first half shooting just 20.7 percent from the floor.
 
At the conclusion of the first quarter, UAM was behind by just two points, 14-12. As we entered in the second quarter, SWOSU began to pull away. UAM could just not get anything going on offense. The Blossoms were just 6-of-29 to finish the half and went into the break trailing the Bulldogs, 29-20.
 
To start the third quarter, UAM aimed to cut into the deficit, but SWOSU extended it to their largest lead of the night, 14. It was not until under three-and-a-half minutes left to play that Berniezha Tidwell hit a jumper to bring the deficit to single-digits. However, SWOSU hit a basket to conclude the period and took an 11-point lead, 50-39.
 
SWOSU added back to its lead early in the fourth quarter pushing it back up to 13 points with 6:54 remaining.
 
UAM did however go on a small run with a little over four minutes left. Kayla Bradley got things started with a basket cutting the lead to 10. Tidwell followed with a layup of her own right after, and then assisted on a bucket from Bradley to narrow the lead to six, 60-54.
 
Six would be the closest UAM would get to a comeback, as SWOSU went on to add to its lead going on to win the contest, 72-61.
 
The Blossoms did shoot better in the second half, but still finished 22-of-59 from the field (37.3%), and just 1-of-10 from downtown (10.0%). UAM also struggled at the free-throw line going just 16-of-26 at the stripe (61.5%).
 
Tidwell, Bradley and Dezirae King led the team in points all tallying 11, while Mekaylan Hicks added 10 of her own.
 
Hicks and Tidwell managed to snag eight rebounds apiece, while Tidwell also added six assists.
 
With the loss, the Blossoms have dropped two straight and are now 8-3 overall and 3-2 in league games, while SWOSU is now 9-2 overall and 4-1 in conference contests.
 
UP NEXT
UAM will look to bounce back on Saturday with another conference game as Northwestern Oklahoma State comes to Monticello. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.