DURANT, Okla. –
Katie Branam dropped a career-high 22 points, leading a foursome of double-digit scorers as Southeastern pulls away in the fourth quarter for a 75-64 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday afternoon in Alva, Okla.
The win evens the Savage Storm record at 2-2 on the season and in Great American Conference Western Division play heading into a Saturday afternoon matchup with Southern Nazarene at 2 p.m. in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
"Start with Briley," said head coach
Darin Grover. "She didn't hit threes like we're used to seeing out of her. But her presence on the floor late in the game and her ability to get to the line just shows you what that kind of experience can do for you. Chandler [Kemp] the same thing. She was fearless in the first half taking the ball to the basket. Haiden did the same thing, hitting some threes."
"It's no secret that KB has had some frustrating games so far this season," continued Grover. "Today she came through and came through in a big way. Same as Briley she was a calming presence."
Branam finished the contest shooting 7-of-11 from the floor and added a 7-of-8 performance at the free throw line to reach her career high.
She also hauled in a team-best seven rebounds and dished out three assists.
Briley Moon turned in 14 points in her first action of the season, bolstered by a 7-of-8 effort at the free throw line.
Jordan Benson added 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting and
Haiden Williams rounded out the double-figure scoring with 12 points on a 4-of-5 effort that included a 2-of-2 mark from beyond the arc.
Aimee Alverson dished out a game-high five assists as the Storm finished with 15 dimes as a team, while adding four steals, with Moon snagging three steals.
The Storm hit 52.2 percent from the floor, including an 8-of-15 effort from three-point range and added a 19-of-23 performance at the free throw line.
A Williams three put the Storm on the board first and by the time Moon connected on her first points of the season at the 6:36 mark, SE took a 9-2 lead.
NWOSU would slowly close the gap over the remainder of the first quarter as the Storm would take an 18-17 lead into the second quarter.
The Rangers would knot the game and eventually take an early second-quarter lead, stretching that edge to 25-22 with 5:51 to go in the second.
A pair of Kemp freebies and an
Aimee Alverson three would put the Storm back in front 27-25 and the teams would again trade the lead until NWOSU jump out 32-29 with 2:36 to play in the half.
Branam would close out the half by scoring the final six points of the frame to put SE up 35-32 at the break.
The home teams would again regain the lead, twice pushing it to three points, the last of those at the 7:14 mark at 42-39.
SE would chip away and survive a three minute dry spell for both squads before a pair of Moon free throws would tie the game up at 44-44.
The teams would fight to another tie at 48-48 with 1:49 to play before SE scored the final five points of the half to carry a 53-48 lead into the final quarter.
The Rangers would cut the Storm lead down to three points three times early in the fourth quarter, with SE answering the third time with an 8-0 run capped by a Branam three to take a 65-54 lead with 4:56 to play.
A 10-3 run in response by NWOSU would close the advantage to 68-64 with 1:47 to play.
Southeastern would close out the contest with the final seven points, including a 5-of-6 free throw shooting effort by Branam in the final minute to preserve the 75-64 victory.
