Box Score DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern put four players in double-figures including 20 points from
Bailey Welch, but came out on the short end of an 84-81 contest with Southwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday night in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 10-13 overall on the season and 8-9 in Great American Conference play.
Welch finished the night with 20 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field, including a pair of threes. She added an 8-of-9 outing from the free throw line to go with six assists and three rebounds.
Breana Small-Peppers was right on her heels with a breakout performance, turning in her first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds. She was 6-of-7 from the field and 7-10 from the charity stripe.
Haley Schaefer posted 13 points and nine rebounds, while
Cheree Kiser added 11 points with a pair of threes to round out the double-digit scoring. Kiser has now scored in double-figures in three-straight games and five of the last six, all off the bench.
SWOSU held an edge in points off turnovers and second chance points, while SE posted a 42-30 advantage in points in the paint.
The Bulldogs scored the first five points and led by as many as nine points early before the Storm whittled away the deficit, eventually tying the game at 28-28 with 8:01 to play in the first on a Kiser three.
Schaefer would give SE its first lead with 6:18 to go at 30-28.
SWOSU would tie the game, but the Storm would respond, climbing out to a 39-32 lead with 1:26 to play when Welch hit a layup, drew the foul and completed a three-point play.
The Bulldogs would hit the last four points of the half, but SE would take a 39-36 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Southeastern pushed its lead back out to eight points early in the second half, taking a 46-38 lead on a pair of Schaefer free throws.
SWOSU would whittle away at the lead and eventually regain the advantage on a jumper with 14:38 to play.
They would lead by as many as six, but SE would answer and retake the lead on a Welch layup with 7:35 to play to go up 68-67.
The teams would trade buckets and the lead, with SE going in front 76-75 with 2:55 remaining on a Schaefer jumper.
SWOSU, however, would regain the lead on the next possession.
SE would cut the deficit to one point on a Welch three pointer with eight seconds to play, but the Bulldogs would hang on for an 84-81 win.
