CONWAY, Ark. -- In a hotly contest, back-and-forth matchup, the Gold Division second seed Texas Lutheran University outlasted the third seed from the Blue Division, University of the Ozarks, 84-78, in overtime in the nightcap of the 2026 SCAC Women's Basketball Tournament played at Grove Gymnasium on the campus of Hendrix College. Official Tournament Website | Photo Gallery | Postgame Interview | Women's Tournament Stats

For the second consecutive year, TLU and Ozarks met in the women's quarterfinal round and for the second consecutive year, 40 minutes was enough to decide the outcome. And, just as what happened in Irving, Texas last season, the Bulldogs held on and pulled away late to advance to the semifinal round for the eighth consecutive year. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Trailing 57-53 with 3:32 remaining in regulation, Ozarks went on a 9-0 run over the next two minutes of clock time to take a 62-57 lead with 1:27 remaining.
• The Bulldogs scored the next five points of regulation, capped by a second-chance three-pointer from Sarahi Jones with 23 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 62.
• With the shot clock turned off, Ozarks had a chance to win the game in regulation, but a turnover and an ensuing missed shot from TLU at the buzzer sent the evening's last quartefinal into overtime.
• In the extra period, TLU's Hannah Gallegos hit a three on the team's second possession of OT and the Eagles never got closer than that three-point margin over the extra five minutes.

TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

• Lauren Sansano: 23 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds
• Davi'Yanna Jones: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals
• Sarahi Jones: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists

UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

• Lily Hartness: 21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
• Kennedi Wight: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
• Abby Beene: 12 points, 2 assists

NOTABLES

• The 12 assists by TLU's Sansano ties the single game tournament record, shared now with Lauren Andrews of Trinity (2007) and Josie Napoli of Trinity (2025). She fell just two rebounds short of a triple-double.
• With the two teams repeating with an overtime game again this year, it marks the first time in SCAC history that two consecutive tournaments have had at least one game go into overtime.
• This is the seventh game in women's tournmant game to go into extra periods.
• The 162 combined points tied for the seventh-most in a SCAC women's basketball tournament game.
• The loss snapped Ozarks' seven game winning streak, which was the longest active streak in the conference heading into the tournament. The Eagles end the 2025-26 campaign with a record of 13-13.
• Texas Lutheran improves to 15-8 all-time in SCAC tournament games, the most wins of any active women's program in the conference and third all-time, trailing only DePauw (23 wins) and Trinity (39 wins).
• Texas Lutheran advances to the semifinal round for the eighth consecutive year.

UP NEXT
Texas Lutheran (19-7) will play the top seed from the Blue Division, Austin College, on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The winner will advance to the SCAC Championship game at 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 1.