Box Score FORT WORTH-- The Texas Wesleyan women's basketball team (22-5,16-5 SAC) defeated OCU (16-10, 10-11) 76-66 on Thursday evening at the Sid Richardson Center.

Assistant Coach Jazsmin Nelson picked up her first win as a coach. Head coach Brenita Jackson was away from the team celebrating the birth of her newborn baby.

OCU won the opening tip-off and immediately capitalized with an easy layup by Abby Selzer. The Lady Rams answered back with a mid-range jump-shot by junior Kertisa Amos and a second chance opportunity by Makayla Coy to take a 4-2 lead early in the first two minutes of play. A couple minutes later, freshman Zarria Carter soared in for an offensive put-back, and then freshman Maliah Lacour knocked down a mid-range shot to make the score 8-2 with 4:39 left in the opening quarter.

The Stars fought back to even the score at 8 with 2:35 left in the first quarter. After one quarter of play, TXWES held a 12-8 lead. The Lady Rams shot 6 of 20 (30 percent) in the opening quarter. The stifling TXWES defense held OCU to 8 points on 3 of 15 (20 percent) from the field.

To start the second quarter, Carter finished a layup through contact to extend the Lady Rams lead to 14-8. OCU battled back to tie the game at 16 after both teams traded baskets in the opening moments of the second quarter. TXWES then went on an  8-0 run to extend the lead to 24-16 with 5:38 left in the first half. The run was capped off on a mid-range shot by Makayla Coy. After 2 quarters of play, the Lady Rams led 30-24 after a made jump-shot by Carter in the closing seconds of the half. 

TXWES shot 14 of 41 (34.1 percent) and out-rebounded OCU 27-19 in the first half. In the first half OCU shot 26.5 percent from the field and 0 percent from the three-point line.

Na'Teiona Cole scored the first basket of the third quarter with a mid-range shot to extend the Lady Rams lead to 8. A three-pointer by Jordyn Eaton made the score 39-33 with 6:35 left in the third quarter. After trading baskets, QuinNae Love knocked down a three-pointer in rhythm to keep the momentum going on the offensive end for the Lady Rams. OCU battled back to cut the deficit to three points with 2:20 left in the third quarter. 

The Lady Rams ended the third quarter on a 4-0 run capped off by a Zarria Carter layup. TXWES led 54-48 after three quarters of play.

OCU started the quarter scoring three points to cut the deficit they faced in half. Zarria Carter and QuinNae Love both made layups through contact to extend the TXWES lead to 58-51 with 7:29 left in the game. The Lady Rams capped off an 8-0 run with a fanatic layup by Zarria carter to make the score 66-56 with 4:10 left in the game. 

QuinNae Love stepped up and made a huge three-point shot to make the score 71-64 with 1:36 left in the game. Makayla Coy closed the game out with a baseline jump-shot as the Lady Rams held on for a 76-66 victory over OCU. 

Four Lady Rams scored in double figures. Zarria Carter snagged her eleventh double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds, Kertisa Amos scored 17 points, Makayla Coy scored 14 points, and QuinNae Love scored 10 points.

The Lady Rams move to 2-15 all-time against OCU. TXWES will cap-off the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 19 against John Brown University at Siloam Springs, Arkansas.