CLAREMORE, OKLA. – The East Central University women's basketball team and first-year head coach Matt Cole started the 2014-15 season with a 57-54 victory over Rogers State in non-conference action at the Claremore Expo Center.

The Tigers (1-0) were led by seniors Taylor Fischer and Erin Walling.  Fischer garnered 16 points, six rebounds and three assists.  Walling added 11 points, five boards and four assists.  Sophomore Jalyn Jackson added a team-high eight rebounds and two blocks. 

"Our players stuck to the game plan today and played hard all the way through the game," said head coach Matt Cole.  "It is always good to get a win on the road and especially to get one in the first game of the season. I was pleased with the defensive effort we showed today and it allowed us to win the game."

ECU came out of the gate ready to fight and took and early 4-0 lead before allowing the Hillcats (0-1) to get on the scoreboard at 17:35.  RSU quickly tied the game at four in the next minute and the teams started a battle for control.  Both teams traded runs over the next 12 minutes, with ECU leading by as many as five points. 

With 4:21 remaining in the half the score was knotted as 20.  That is when the Tigers used an 11-5 run, over a three-minute span, to take a 31-25 advantage.  RSU finished the stanza with a 4-0 run to get within two (31-29).

ECU again came out strong in the second half, using a 5-0 run over the first 2:30 to rebuild the lead to seven (36-29).  The Hillcats countered with a 6-0 run to get within one (36-35) over the next minute.  The Tigers were able to keep the lead over the next three minutes before RSU used a 10-3 run, over a three-minute span, to garner a three-point advantage.

The teams again traded points for the next two minutes, before ECU used an 8-2 run over the next four minutes to gain the lead for good.  ECU led 54-49, with 4:32 left to play, and held the lead between three to five points the rest of the half. Both teams picked up the defense in the final 2:45, with ECU only scoring one point during the span on the way to the 57-54 win.

The Hillcats had a strong day shooting, hitting 44.0 (22-of-50) percent of their shots, while holding the Tigers to a 34.5 (20-f-58) percent mark.  However, ECU earned a 5-of-16 to 3-of-14 lead on shots beyond the arc.  The Tigers also took advantage of the 15 trips they got at the charity stripe, hitting 12, while RSU went 7-of-13 from the free-throw line.

ECU will now prepare for the first Great American Conference game of the season, Thursday, Nov. 20 when they travel to Monticello, Ark., for a 5:30 p.m. game against Arkansas-Monticello.