Coming of a 93-75 win over Northern New Mexico College earlier in the week, the College of the Ozarks Lady Bobcats returned to Keeter Gymnasium to host the Royals of Ecclesia College.
Logan Jones wasted no time in jump staring the Lady Cat offense as she drove to the basket for a layup, then dilled a three on the next possession. Moments later she sank another from beyond the arc, and the Lady Cats held an 8-2 lead. The Royals took a quick timeout to try and stop the momentum. Susie Moran and Kayley Frank jumped into the scoring column, Jones splashed home another three, and the Lady Cats held a 15-4 lead at the 5:07 mark in the opening frame. Kayley Frank added to the total and Logan Jones scorched the nets for yet another three and behind her five threes, the Lady Cat lead was 23-8 after one.
Susie Moran took an Abbey Linville assist to open the scoring in the second quarter and Taylor Rush put points on the board with a quick two followed by one from deep. Moran scored inside and Abbey Linville found the bottom of the net with a deep three and Ecclesia took another timeout, trailing 35-13. Keara Mattingley greeted the Royals with a pair of buckets and a pair of free throws out of the huddle, and the Lady Cats were well in control early. Mattingley connected on another pair of free throws and the Lady Cat lead climbed to 43-18. Logan Jones connected on another three and the Lady Cats took a 46-20 lead to the intermission.
Susie Moran opened the second half scoring and Kayley Frank followed with a three. Logan Jones put one in from close range this time and the Lady Cat lead grew to 53-20. Frank scored and Jones dropped in another from deep to boost the lead. A Frank three added to the total and another midrange jumper from Jones saw the Lady Cats continue to pull away. With Frank and Jones providing the one-two punch and Moran getting on the board, the Lady Cats held a 73-30 advantage after three quarters.
Blythe Benefield opened the scoring in the final stanza and the Lady Cats were looking to run down the clock. Keara Mattingley drove to the basket for a layup, Abbey Linville dialed in from deep for a trio of threes, and Blythe Benefield scored on a put back to force a Royals’ timeout. With 5:06 remaining, the Lady Cat lead was 88-33 and it was all about running time off the clock. Lauren Jones jumped in the scoring column with a three and Avery Arnold added a free throw to close out the scoring. The Lady Cats were content to run down the clock to secure the 94-44 win.
Logan Jones unleashed for 33 points on 7-10 shooting from beyond the arc and 13-17 overall from the field to lead the charge. Kayley Frank dropped in 14 points, Keara Mattingley and Abbey Linville added 12 each, and Susie Moran chipped in 10. Taylor Rush tacked on five, Blythe Benefield contributed four, Lauren Jones added three, and Avery Arnold added one point in the win.
The Lady Cats will return to action on the road at Haskell Indian Nations University next Thursday, February 1 in a 6 PM start.