POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. — College of the Ozarks celebrated senior day for Avery Arnold and Student Assistant Coach Heidi Todd in style and used a dominant first half and a one-two scoring punch from Keara Mattingley and Ashlen Garrett to earn a 76-61 win over Southwestern Christian on Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Cats seized control early, turning hot shooting from the perimeter and steady work at the free-throw line into a 21-13 lead after the first quarter and a 45-28 advantage at halftime. Mattingley finished with a game-high 22 points and five rebounds, while Garrett added 21 points and six boards as College of the Ozarks maintained a double-digit cushion for most of the contest.

College of the Ozarks set the tone from the opening possession when Logan Jones knocked down a 3-pointer to start the scoring and spark a 10-5 opening stretch. Later in the first quarter, a late three by Zoe Hinze pushed the margin to 19-13 and highlighted the Lady Cats early shooting rhythm. That outside touch carried into the second quarter, where Garrett buried a 3-pointer during a surge that helped stretch the lead to 33-16 and eventually 43-23 before the break.

Southwestern Christian repeatedly tried to trim the deficit from beyond the arc. Taylor Meyners connected early in the second quarter to pull the visitors within 21-16, and Carmella Jefferson hit a 3-pointer just before halftime to cut the margin to 45-28. Jefferson later added another buzzer-beating 3 at the end of the third quarter, making it 60-48 and briefly shifting momentum as Southwestern Christian outscored the Bobcats 20-15 in the third.

College of the Ozarks responded by reasserting itself in the paint and at the foul line in the fourth quarter. Mattingley opened the period with a layup to push the lead back to 62-48, and the Bobcats continued to attack the interior to keep Southwestern Christian at arm’s length. Garrett’s free throws in the final minute capped the scoring at 76-61 and punctuated a night in which the hosts converted 18 free throws and consistently capitalized on trips to the line.

For the game, College of the Ozarks shot 46.4% from the field (26 of 56) and 40.0% from 3-point range (6 of 15), finishing with a 76-61 edge by quarter scores of 21-13, 24-15, 15-20 and 16-13. The Lady Cats  also held a 33-27 advantage on the glass, including seven offensive rebounds, and generated 15 steals while matching Southwestern Christian with 19 turnovers.

Jones joined Mattingley and Garrett in double figures with 15 points and four rebounds for College of the Ozarks. Jefferson led Southwestern Christian with 15 points, five rebounds, eight steals and four assists on 5-of-7 shooting, while Alexus Roberson added 11 points, including a 3-pointer and a 4-of-4 effort at the line. As a team, Southwestern Christian shot 36.2% from the floor (21 of 58) and 26.1% from 3 (6 of 23), using late long-range shots to stay within reach but unable to overcome the Bobcats’ early separation and balanced attack.