Storm Rally Comes Up Short Versus OBU

SHAWNEE, Okla. – Kenzli Warden dropped a season-high 27 points, but Southeastern's rally would come up short in a 73-60 road loss to Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday night in Shawnee, Okla.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 3-7 overall on the season and 0-4 in Great American Conference play heading into the fall semester finale on Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m. with SE hosts Southwestern Oklahoma State in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
Warden's 27 points led all scorers as she finished the contest shooting 9-of-21 with a pair of threes and a 7-of-8 performance at the free throw line while completing a double-double with a team-best 10 rebounds.
 
Tori Kilburn nearly added a double-double of her own as she put up 17 points on 7-of-13 from the floor and added nine rebounds.
 
Abie Barr and Halli Hyatt combined for eight points between the team's remaining starters, while Chloe Eversole and Katie Allen combined for eight points off the bench.
 
Kilburn handed out a game-high four assists while Akiera Hawk added three.
 
Warden put up six points over the first quarter as the Storm scored first but the teams traded buckets until OBU used seven straight points to take a lead which hit five points before SE shrank it to 15-12 at the ned of the first quarter.
 
Southeastern opened the second half on a nearly five minute scoreless streak as the Bison used a 13-0 run to push its lead to 28-12.
 
A Warden free throw would end the scoreless streak and a Kilburn bucket ended the run without a field goal.
 
From that point on the quarter played back and forth, with Warden draining a three with 15 seconds ot play in the half to close the deficit to 41-24 at the break.
 
The deficit hit 19 points midway through the third quarter as the team's played a near even frame, with Warden's seven points pacing the Storm as they headed to the final period trailing 37-39.
 
OBU scored first in the fourth to push its lead to 20 points, but a Kilburn bucket answered and Eversole capped the ensuing 11-0 run, cutting the deficit to 59-50 with 5:01 to play.
 
After a Bison bucket, the Storm regained its momentum and closed the gap to 61-57 on a Warden bucket with 3:19 to play.
 
After the Bison answered, the Storm again closed the six points with 1:30 to play, but OBU would score the final seven points in the contest to make the final 73-60.