Warden Free Throws Secure Storm Win at SWOSU

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Southeastern recovered from a 15-point first-quarter deficit and Kenzli Warden connected on a pair of free throws with 2.7 seconds to play to lift the Savage Storm to a 68-67 victory in the regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon in Weatherford, Okla.
 
The win lifts SE to 16-12 overall on the season and 13-9 in Great American Conference play as the Storm have won 10 of their last 11 matchups to end the regular season.
 
The win, coupled with a Henderson State win over Harding on Saturday, means SE will head into the conference tournament as the No. 5 seed and face HSU at 5:45 p.m. on Friday, March 6 in Fort Smith, Ark.
 
Tori Kilburn finished with a team-high 23 points, 20 of them coming in the second half, hitting 9-of-16 for the field and pulling in a game-high 14 rebounds to complete the double-double, her eighth of the season.
 
Warden finished the game with 20 points, hitting a pair of threes and finishing 4-of-4 at the free throw line, including the final two points of the game.
 
Akiera Hawk drained a pair of threes and added eight points, while Stevie Stinchcomb added six points and a game-high four assists.
 
SE jumped out to a 5-0 lead to open the contest, but SWOSU responded with a 23-3 run and left the Storm in a 23-8 hole with 1:29 to play in the first.
 
Southeastern closed the quarter with the final four points of the frame and trailed 23-12 at the end of one.
 
The run picked back up to open the second quarter as Warden connected on a three to trigger an 11-0 run capped by another Warden bucket that knotted the score at 23-23 by the 7:27 mark of the period.
 
The offense slowed from that point for both sides, with the Bulldogs pushing out to a five-point lead before the Storm erased it and knotted the game at 30-30 at the halftime break.
 
The teams traded buckets out of the break in the third quarter, with SE twice pushing out to four point leads before SWOSU closed the frame with a 9-4 run to lead 43-42 at the final quarter break.
 
Southeastern used a 10-1 run to open the fourth quarter, taking its largest lead of the game at 52-44 on a Hawk three with 6:17 to play.
 
The lead reached eight points again with 4:17 to play before the Bulldogs rallied using a 12-3 run to go in front 63-62 with 1:45 to play.
 
Th teams traded buckets again and SWOSU held a one point lead when Kilburn connected on a layup with 15 seconds remaining to regain the lead.
 
A Pair of Bulldog free throws with nine seconds to play gave the home team a 67-66 lead, but Warden would make it to the line with 2.7 seconds to play, hitting both free throws to lock down the win for the Storm.