POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. — College of the Ozarks seized control from the opening tip and never let up, using a dominant defensive effort and a balanced offensive attack to roll past Oklahoma City 90-48 on Thursday night.

The Bobcats set the tone in the first quarter, racing out to a 24-7 lead and holding Oklahoma City scoreless for extended stretches while forcing turnovers and limiting clean looks. College of the Ozarks opened the game with back-to-back 3-pointers — one from Ashlen Garrett and another from Allyssa Joyner — to quickly build a 6-0 cushion that set the tone for the rest of the night. By the end of the quarter, Savannah Ketchum’s late free throw pushed the margin to 17, and the Lady Cats never allowed the visitors to seriously threaten.

College of the Ozarks continued to pull away in the second quarter, outscoring Oklahoma City 28-15 to take a 52-22 lead into halftime. The Lady Cats capitalized on a technical foul assessed to Oklahoma City with 2:34 remaining in the half, converting the free throws as part of a run that kept the advantage above 20 points. A late jumper by Morgan Mattingley in the final minute of the second quarter stretched the lead to 30 and underscored the host team’s control on both ends of the floor.

Ketchum led the Lady Cats with an efficient double-double, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes. She shot 7 of 8 from the field, added four offensive rebounds, and contributed on the defensive end with three blocks and two steals. Garrett provided another key spark with 18 points, three rebounds and three assists, hitting 7 of 11 from the floor and 2 of 2 at the free-throw line. Joyner added 11 points and two 3-pointers in 14 minutes, giving College of the Ozarks yet another perimeter threat.

As a team, College of the Ozarks shot 49.3% from the field (35 of 71) while limiting Oklahoma City to just 28.6% shooting (16 of 56). The Lady Cats also owned the glass with a 40-27 rebounding advantage, including 9 offensive boards that helped extend possessions and sustain runs. Defensively, College of the Ozarks pressured Oklahoma City into 26 turnovers and came away with 12 steals, turning miscues into transition opportunities and easy baskets throughout the night.

Oklahoma City’s offense found brief rhythm in the third quarter, scoring 18 points in the frame, but still was outpaced as College of the Ozarks posted 20 to make it 72-40 heading to the fourth. Garrett’s midrange jumper pushed the margin to 70-35, and a late layup by Zoe Hinze in the closing seconds of the quarter reaffirmed the Lady Cats’ grip on the game. In the final quarter, College of the Ozarks closed things out with disciplined defense, holding Oklahoma City to eight points and capping the night with two Ketchum free throws in the final seconds to secure the 42-point victory.

Jerzie Bryant and Weronika Tomaszuk led Oklahoma City with nine points apiece. Tomaszuk added five rebounds and hit a 3-pointer, while Bryant contributed three rebounds, one assist and a 3-pointer of her own. Oklahoma City went 4 of 13 from beyond the arc and 12 of 14 at the free-throw line but was unable to overcome the shooting disparity and turnover issues against the Lady Cats’ pressure.

With the win, College of the Ozarks showcased its depth and efficiency, getting 36 points from the bench and outscoring Oklahoma City in every quarter. In front of a crowd of nice home crowd, the Lady Cats delivered a complete performance that reinforced their ability to control games with defense, rebounding and multiple scoring options across the lineup.