ADA – The East Central University women's basketball team played in its first overtime game of the season and picked up its first Great American Conference victory, with a 73-70 win over Ouachita at the Kerr Activities Center.

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The Tigers (2-6, 1-3 GAC) saw four players garner double-digits in the point's column, with junior Devon Branch leading the way with a career-high 25 points, three rebounds and two assists.  Senior Whitney Stotler and junior Aalyiah Blakley each tallied 13 points and eight rebounds, while senior Jalyn Jackson added 10 points and nine boards.

The fourth quarter and overtime were the keys to victory for ECU, as the Tigers out-scored Ouachita (3-4, 2-2 GAC) 13-7 in the fourth and 6-3 in the extra stanza.  ECU held OUA scoreless through the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, while going on a 5-0 run to take a 61-60 advantage. 

The teams traded shots and a missed free throw by Ouachita ended up allowing the teams to end up tied at 67 at the end of regulation.

Overtime started as a defensive battle, with neither team earning points through the first two minutes.  Ouachita was the first to add to their total with a free throw (2:55).  The Tigers then got two points at the charity stripe from Stotler (2:33), but OUA regained the advantage with 47.3 seconds remaining on free throws.

On the next possession Stotler gave ECU the lead (71-70) on a second-chance shot.  Ouachita missed on their next shot attempt and the Tigers grabbed the rebound to control their destiny, with seven seconds left. Redshirt freshman Lexi Smith then secured the win by hitting two free throws, with 3.7 ticks left for the 73-70 victory.

Shots from the charity stripe ended up being the key difference in the game, with ECU going 17-of-23 and Ouachita 11-of-18.

The Tigers will now get a long rest, with no games on the schedule until after the holiday break.  ECU will hit the road first, with a league weekend at Harding (Jan. 5) and Arkansas Tech (Jan. 7).