Oklahoma City, OK -  A go-ahead basket in the final seconds ended College of the Ozarks’ SAC Championship bid Saturday night, as Mid-America Christian rallied in the fourth quarter for a 71-70 victory in Oklahoma City. The Bobcats led most of the way and went back in front on a Logan Jones drive with 19 seconds remaining, but MACU’s Caitlynn Jordan answered with the decisive bucket with 9 seconds left to hand College of the Ozarks a one-point defeat.

College of the Ozarks controlled the tempo early, building a 15-7 lead in the first quarter after Ashlen Garrett buried a 3-pointer and Savannah Ketchum knocked down two free throws in the final minute. The Lady Cats continued to dictate play in the second quarter, stretching the margin to double digits when Avery Arnold hit a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left in the half to make it 34-24. College of the Ozarks went to the locker room up 34-26 after holding Mid-America Christian to single digits in the opening quarter.

The Lady Cats maintained their advantage through the third quarter, answering each MACU push with timely offense. College of the Ozarks took a 54-49 lead into the fourth after Jones sank a late free throw, capping a quarter in which the Lady Cats continued to get contributions from multiple scorers. However, the Evangels began to find their rhythm from the perimeter and in transition, chipping away at the lead behind standout guard Taliah Lee.

Lee powered the MACU comeback with 31 points and nine rebounds, including five 3-pointers. She hit a key 3-pointer with 1:56 left in the third quarter to pull the Evangels within 49-44 and helped shift momentum toward the MACU bench. Mid-America Christian also turned up the pressure defensively, forcing 17 Bobcat turnovers and converting them into points while finishing with 11 steals and 19 assists on 27 made field goals.

College of the Ozarks still had a chance to close it out in the final minute. Trailing late, the Lady Cats turned to Jones, who converted a two-point basket with 19 seconds remaining to put College of the Ozarks back on top 70-69. On the ensuing possession, Jordan answered for MACU with the go-ahead two-point basket with 9 seconds left, flipping the scoreline one final time. The Bobcats were unable to score on their last opportunity, and the Evangels held on for the 71-70 win.

Despite the loss, College of the Ozarks’ offensive production was efficient. The Lady Cats shot 23-for-57 from the field, including 6-for-16 from 3-point range, and capitalized at the foul line by going 18-for-23. Keara Mattingley led the way with 23 points and seven rebounds, frequently attacking the paint and converting nine free throws. Garrett added 15 points, five rebounds and three 3-pointers, while Abby McBride provided a balanced effort with 10 points, five rebounds and three assists. The Lady Cats matched MACU on the glass, 36-36, including 13 offensive rebounds.

Mid-America Christian finished 27-for-64 from the field and 8-for-26 from 3-point distance while going 9-for-10 at the free-throw line. Both teams posted 36 rebounds in a tightly contested matchup that featured multiple swings in momentum and a dramatic closing stretch. For the Lady Cats, the narrow postseason defeat capped a performance that featured strong starts to quarters, balanced scoring and resilience down the stretch, even as the final possession went the other way.

The Lady Cats now await the call for an at-large bid to the NAIA opening rounds. The selection of the tournament field will be announced this Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 pm.