Top-Ranked Bulldogs Upset by TWU

February 28, 2006

Weatherford, OK - Southwestern Oklahoma State’s expected post-season charge was short circuited by upstart Texas Woman’s in a stunning 65-51 loss Tuesday night in the first round of the Lone Star Conference Tournament.

SWOSU (16-12) entered the game as the North Division No. 1 seed and hosts of a LSC tournament game for the first time in history. Little of that mattered to the (14-13) Pioneers who made it to the tourney as the South’s No. 4 seed thanks to a fortunate coin flip.

SWOSU still has hopes of a berth in the 64-team NCAA Division II field but as the current No. 8 seed in the South Central Region the Bulldogs are likely to need some help. NCAA Tournament berths will be announced Sunday.

SWOSU stumbled out of the gate and found itself in a 20-3 hole after only seven minutes had ticked off the clock. TWU hit eight of its first 10 shots while the Bulldogs connected on just one-of-12.

Kayla Horn, who finished as the high-point scorer for SWOSU with 15 points, brought the Bulldogs back with a flurry of baskets. Horn’s layup with 4:15 remaining in the half got SWOSU to within five at 26-21.

TWU took a 29-23 lead at the break and moved its lead back to double figures midway through the second half. Margaret Wimbish scored inside and put TWU ahead 45-33 with 10:47 to play. Wimbish led all scorers with 24 points.

SWOSU made one last run when Julie Dawson got loose and scored from inside to cut TWU’s lead to 45-42 with 6:22. Dawson, SWOSU’s leading scorer on the season, was blanketed by the Pioneers defensively, finished with just seven points on three-of-14 shooting.

TWU followed with an 8-0 run to go back ahead 55-42 to secure a comfortable margin and the victory.