Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
LIU
Cowgirls Fall In Final Seconds In Reno
December 31, 2011 | Cowgirl Basketball
Dec. 31, 2011
RENO, Nev. - Oklahoma State's women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season in heartbreaking fashion on Friday evening with a 64-63 setback to Long Island in the championship game of the Peppermill Holiday Classic inside Lawlor Events Center.
With the loss, the Cowgirls fell to 8-1, while the Blackbirds improved to 12-2 on the year.
OSU never could get on track offensively. For the game, the Cowgirls finished at 39.7 percent and hit just six of their 23 3-point attempts on the night.
Despite holding LIU to a 38.7 percent clip from the field, OSU trailed at the half for the first time this season, heading into the locker room down 33-28.
The Cowgirls used a 9-0 early in the second half to jump in front 41-37, but could never extend the margin beyond six points. LIU scrapped back and tied the game three separate occasions before OSU freshman Liz Donohoe converted an old-fashioned 3-point play with six minutes remaining to put the Cowgirls back in front 53-50.
OSU led by six with four minutes remaining, but LIU answered with the game's next six points to knot the score for the eighth time.
Cowgirl freshman Jordan Schultz drilled a long 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:20 remaining in the game, but OSU would not score again.
LIU's Kiara Evans made a jumper with 42 seconds left to pull within one. The Blackbirds secured the rebound on an OSU missed jumper and went the length of the floor with Evans converting the game-winning layup with two seconds remaining.
Donohoe and sophomore Kendra Suttles led OSU with 14 points apiece, while sophomore Tiffany Bias added eight points and a game-high nine assists.
LIU's Ashley Palmer scored a game-high 18 points in the contest.
Bias and Donohoe were named to the event's all-tournament team.
The Cowgirls will begin conference play on Jan. 4 when they travel to Lubbock, Texas to face Texas Tech.
