WEATHERFORD, OKLA. – The East Central University women's basketball team accomplished something that seven other teams were not able to do this season, as they handed Southwestern Oklahoma State its first home loss of the 2016-17 season, 88-74.

The Tigers (9-12, 8-9 GAC) moved into a tie for sixth with Henderson State in the GAC standings heading into the final two weeks of play, just a half game behind Southern Nazarene in fifth.

ECU had a well-balanced effort in the game, with six of eight players who saw action garnering double-digits in the point's column and a seventh nine.  Junior Devon Branch led the group with 21 points, while senior Whitney Stotler tallied 10 points and a team-best nine rebounds.  Senior Jalyn Jackson also added 15 points, six boards, four steals, two blocks and three assists.

The Tigers got off to a quick start and never really looked back.  ECU jumped out to an 8-3 advantage in the first 2:30 of the first quarter.  The Tigers pushed the lead out to as many as 14 points in the stanza and ended the first 10 minutes with a 25-15 lead.

The Bulldogs (14-8, 10-6 GAC) continued a 4-0 run from the end of the first quarter into the second, scoring the first five points to cut the deficit to five (25-20) in the first two minutes.  However, ECU pushed the tempo again and had the lead back out to as many as nine in the quarter.  The teams traded runs through the stanza and the Tigers went to the locker room leading, 40-36.

The third quarter was mostly an even playing field, but an 8-0 run in the middle of the stanza by ECU allowed them to claim a 63-54 lead into the final 10 minutes.

The Tigers quickly added to the lead in the final stanza, increased the advantage to 17 in the first six minutes.  ECU kept pushing and had the lead out to as many as 19 on the way to the 88-74 victory.

The Tigers had a hot shooting had for the day, hitting 45.5 percent from the field and 59.3 percent from three-point range.  ECU again had its clearest advantage from beyond the arch going 16-of-27 and allowing just a 5-of-25 mark by SWOSU.

The Tigers will only have a day off before their next outing, as they will host arch rival Southeastern Oklahoma State, Monday, Feb. 13 at 5:30 p.m. in the Kerr Activities Center.  The game is the annual Blackout Game, where ECU fans are encouraged to wear black to show their Tiger support.