Halbleib scores 24 in loss to SWOSU

November 21, 2018

Cameron University Athletics

Kenton Means – Sports Information Director

LAWTON, Okla. – Natalie Halbleib finished two points shy of her career-high as she scored 24 in in the Aggies’ 98-79 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State on Wednesday.

The senior from Aurora, Colo. was 8-15 from the field, 4-11 from three, 4-5 from the free throw line in 39 minutes against the Bulldogs. Her 24 points where just two shy of matching a career-high that she set on Jan. 28, 2017 against Texas A&M-Commerce. Halbleib also had six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the loss.

As a team, Cameron shot just under 38 percent from the field, while hitting just 10 of their 32 three point attempts and going 19-24 from the charity stripe. Maighan Hedge had another solid game, scoring 18 points, knocking down all seven of her foul shots. Hedge has scored double-figures in all five of the Black and Gold contests. Additionally, Chelsea Heidebrecht reached double-figures for the first time this season, scoring 13 points, while Lejha Smith had a game-high 12 rebounds and four blocks.

In the first quarter, the two teams battled back and forth early, but SWOSU started pulling away and, by the 3:25 mark, led by nine. Cameron answered with eight straight to get to within one at 19-18. A pair of free throws with just three seconds left by Taber Beer gave the Bulldogs a three point lead through one frame.

The battle continued into the second, before Southwestern jumped out to an 11 point at the 7:05 mark thanks to a 6-0 run. They continued that momentum and even improved their lead to 14 with 3:21 left in the quarter, but the Aggies would not go away, closing out the second on a seven point run, capped by a Heidebrecht three with six seconds on the clock, to cut the score to 46-41 at the halfway mark.

Southwestern pulled back out in front by 10 with five straight to begin the second half, and after Hedge scored four straight points to get back to within one, the SWOSU offense responded by jumping back out by 12 with 6:18 to go in the third quarter. The two teams kept up the back and forth throughout the rest of the third and the Bulldogs found themselves leading 71-59 heading into the final frame.

Like the third, SWOSU began the quarter with five straight, giving them a 17 point lead. Eight straight from the Aggies brought the deficit back down to just nine, but the home team’s offense was on fire scoring 27 points in the quarter. A late eight point run by the Bulldogs gave them their 19 point advantage that they would possess when the clock hit zero.

Hailey Tucker, a 2017-18 D2CCA All-American, led SWOSU with 28 points, going 5-11 from three and 7-8 from the charity stripe, while Hayden Priddy and Tyra Aska each had 14 points and Bethany Franks had 13. As a team, Southwestern shot 40.8 percent from the field, 38.7 percent from the perimeter, and 73.7 percent from the free throw line.

Cameron is now 2-3 on the season with the loss, while SWOSU moves to 2-1 with their first home win of the year.

The Aggies will be back in Aggie Gym on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. as they host Harding University in their last contest before the start of Lone Star Conference play next week.