ADA, Okla. – The East Central University women's basketball team played their last game of 2022, dropping a close game to Oklahoma Baptist University 74-71.
 
"We gave a great effort tonight," Interim Head Coach Heather Hurt said. "We fought back and forth all night and never let their run get to us. Ultimately, we went up one and did not get the defensive rebound to secure the game."
 
OBU opened up the scoring in the first quarter with a 3-pointer, but ECU quickly answered back with an 8-0 run to take their first lead of the game. The Bisons tied the score 13-13, but a layup by Kennedy Allison put the Tigers up 15-13 to close out the quarter.
 
Like the first quarter, the Bisons started the second with a 3-pointer to take back the lead 16-15 and eventually 28-20 after an 8-0 scoring run of their own. ECU clawed their way back and cut the deficit to 33-31 going into halftime.
 
After the break, the Bisons started heating up and managed to take a double-digit lead at 45-35. Emily Wilson's three-ball broke off a 10-2 run by OBU, and the Tigers responded with three more 3-pointers to tie the game 47-47 with four minutes to go in the third quarter. OBU would lead 55-48 heading into the final quarter.
 
The fourth quarter saw multiple lead changes as both teams went back and forth, making clutch plays to keep the game close. A 3-pointer by Ashlyn Evans-Thompson put the Tigers up 71-70, but in the end, the Bisons would earn four straight points to finish the game 74-71.
 
Ashlyn Evans-Thompson led the way with 17 points and six rebounds, going 6-for-14 from the floor and shooting 50% from the three-point range.
 
Mackenzie Crusoe and Kennedy Allison also scored in double figures with 12 points each. Crusoe went 2-for-3 from the arc, 4-for-10 overall, and added a career-high eight assists, while Allison shot 6-of-10 from the field to go along with four rebounds.
 
The East Central University women's basketball team will be off for Christmas break before returning to the Kerr Activities Center for a GAC home game against Harding University Thursday, Jan. 5 at 5:30 p.m.