Point Lookout, MO - College of the Ozarks used a dominant first half and timely fourth-quarter answers to withstand a NCAA Division II Cedarville comeback and earn a 71-61 win Thursday night at Keeter Gymnasium. After seeing a 24-point halftime lead trimmed to as few as five in the final quarter, the Bobcats responded with steady offense and rebounding, capped by a late jumper from Savannah Ketchum that sealed the 10-point victory.

The Lady Cats controlled the game early, racing out to a 19-3 advantage after the first quarter behind stout defense and balanced scoring. College of the Ozarks held Cedarville to just one made field goal in the opening 10 minutes while finding rhythm from the perimeter. A 3-pointer by Zoe Hinze in the final seconds of the quarter pushed the margin to 16 and set the tone for a strong first half.

College of the Ozarks continued to build on that momentum in the second quarter, outscoring Cedarville 20-12 to take a 39-15 lead into the break. Logan Jones knocked down a 3-pointer midway through the quarter as part of a sustained run that kept Cedarville on its heels, and Ashlen Garrett buried a 3-pointer with nine seconds remaining in the half to extend the lead to 24. The Bobcats’ efficiency was evident as they finished 24-of-56 (42.9%) from the field and 6-of-16 (37.5%) from beyond the arc for the game.

Cedarville mounted a significant response after halftime, using a 26-point third quarter to climb back into contention. A 3-pointer by Ella Sellars early in the third sparked the rally, and a layup by Regan Hubert off an assist from Emma Kay Martin cut the deficit to single digits as Cedarville found success attacking the paint and the foul line. Cedarville shot 19-of-65 (29.2%) from the field but stayed alive with 9-of-32 (28.1%) from 3-point range and 14-of-16 (87.5%) at the free-throw line.

The surge carried into the fourth quarter, where Cedarville twice drew within striking distance on 3-pointers from Chloe Downing. Her first triple early in the period made it 54-46, and another with 7:33 remaining trimmed the margin to 56-51. However, the Bobcats answered each push, leaning on their inside presence and composure down the stretch. College of the Ozarks owned a 42-28 edge on the glass, including 10 offensive rebounds, which limited Cedarville’s comeback chances.

Jones led the Bobcats with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, providing a reliable scoring option throughout the night. Garrett added 15 points and seven rebounds, converting 8-of-12 attempts at the foul line and knocking down a key 3-pointer late in the first half. College of the Ozarks also received timely contributions from its bench, which accounted for 13 points, and closed the game at 17-of-26 (65.4%) from the line.

Downing paced Cedarville with 15 points, three 3-pointers, six rebounds and a block, while Martin added 13 points and five boards. Sellars contributed 11 points, going a perfect 8-of-8 at the free-throw line and dishing out six assists as Cedarville’s primary playmaker. Despite the visitors’ strong second half, the Bobcats’ early lead and rebounding advantage proved decisive, giving College of the Ozarks a momentum-building home win as they look to defend their National Title on Saturday against Bethel University at 5 PM.