ADA, Okla. – The East Central University women's basketball team battled top-ranked Great American Conference opponent Harding University in a thrilling showdown on Saturday in Ada. Despite their fight to force overtime, the Lady Bisons narrowly edged the Tigers 69-66 in a heartbreaking finish.
With the loss, ECU now stands at 3-7 in GAC play, while Harding improves to 9-1.
The game was a back-and-forth affair in the first quarter, with both teams posting 12 points each. However, ECU struggled offensively in the second quarter, making only 2-of-16 attempts from the field. Harding capitalized, going 6-for-13, and built a 28-17 lead at halftime.
But the Tigers didn't back down. They came out strong in the second half, finding their offensive rhythm and ramping up their defensive pressure. ECU outscored Harding 37-26 in the final two periods, clawing their way back into the game. With 1:48 remaining, Harding held a slim 54-50 advantage. After a missed layup by the Lady Bisons,
Peyton Mosley quickly scored to cut the deficit to two. The Tigers then capitalized on back-to-back turnovers, and with
Claira Dannefer's clutch jumper in the final seconds, ECU tied the game and sent it into overtime.
In the extra period, both teams exchanged baskets, with the score knotted three times. The lead never grew beyond a single possession, and despite the Tigers' best efforts, Harding maintained a slight edge throughout. Key free throws from
Tatum Havens and
Eva Fernandez kept ECU within striking distance, but they ultimately fell short, with the final score standing at 69-66.
While the Tigers dominated in points in the paint (40-24) and field goals made (26-20), the difference came at the free throw line, where Harding scored 25 points compared to ECU's 10.
Claira Dannefer led the Tigers with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting and added a team-high seven rebounds.
Eva Fernandez contributed 14 points and four assists, while
Peyton Mosley added 10 points.
The ECU women's basketball team will return to the Kerr Activities Center next week for a GAC rivalry matchup against Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 5:30 p.m.
