Bartlesville, OK—  

Women's basketball protected home court on Wednesday night, riding a flawless performance at the free-throw line and a pair of 21-point outings to defeat Southwestern, 78–67.  

The Eagles built an early cushion with a 19–11 first quarter and took a 44–31 lead into halftime, then kept the Moundbuilders at arm's length the rest of the way. Gracie Alexander poured in 21 points, while forward Khassidy Warr matched her with 21 and added 13 rebounds for a double-double to pace Oklahoma Wesleyan. 

OKWU's poise at the stripe proved key as the Lady Eagles went a perfect 17-for-17 at the line. Guard Taliyah Harris was 4-for-4 and finished with eight points, and Ashlyn Baker added seven, including two late free throws to help seal it. Khamille Warr chipped in 10 points, and the bench contributed 11 in a balanced effort.  

The Lady Eagles controlled the glass, winning the rebounding battle 35-24 and turning extra possessions into 14 second-chance points. The Eagles also owned the paint with a 30-24 edge and capitalized on Southwestern, collecting 18 points off turnovers. Their largest lead reached 14 midway through the third quarter before the visitors trimmed the margin late. 

The Lady Eagles are starting to create momentum heading into the heart of conference play, showcasing a formula of toughness on the boards, timely shooting, and free-throw excellence. Despite what the records show, this group, as stated before, has talent to contend and now that they have tied it together in this match, they may have shown what is to come for the remainder of the season.  

Next for the Lady Eagles, they will face off against Bethel College on December 13th at 1:00 PM. Go Eagles!