MONTICELLO, Ark. – The East Central University women's basketball teams saw their hard work pay off on Saturday as they triumphed over the University of Arkansas at Monticello in a thrilling 52-50 victory to conclude their Arkansas road trip.
 
"Proud of our effort in the fourth quarter to finish the game," Head Coach Heather Hurt said. "Kate came up big for us. She made a heads-up play at the end to get fouled on an offensive rebound. Her two free throws won the game for us."
 
In a tightly contested battle, the Tigers and Cotton Blossoms were evenly matched throughout. With both teams scoring 11 points in the first quarter and 13 in the second, the game was deadlocked at 24-24 by halftime.
 
The Tigers gained momentum in the third quarter, establishing a five-point lead to enter the final frame ahead 39-34. While Kate Ogle extended their lead with a layup at the start of the fourth, a late 9-2 scoring run by the Cotton Blossoms tied the game at 43-all with 6:08 remaining on the clock. In the final minutes, both teams exchanged blows, but Ogle's heads-up play drawing a foul on an offensive rebound earned her the opportunity to secure the victory from the free throw line. With two successful shots, the Tigers sealed a well-deserved win on the road.
 
Mackenzie Crusoe, Kate Ogle, and Kennedy Cummings paced ECU's offense scoring 13 points apiece. Crusoe secured the double-double with a team-high 11 rebounds while Kate was close with eight boards.
 
The ECU women's basketball team will continue on the road next week as they make a trip down South to face rivals Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 5:30 pm.