POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - The Lyon College women's basketball Scots' season-opener didn't end exactly as they wanted in a 92-80 loss to the College of the Ozarks Bobcats at Keeter Gymnasium Tuesday night.
The Scots (0-1) were ahead 18-10 in the first quarter, but the Bobcats made a run and came to take a 24-22 lead by the end of the first quarter. College of the Ozarks (4-2) outscored Lyon College 26-13 in the second period to take a 50-35 halftime lead.
The Scots came out of the break to outscore the Bobcats 29-18 to cut the lead to 68-64. In the final period, Lyon College had the game down to one point with five minutes left, but the Bobcats made another run to close out the game.
Allison Byars and Paige Tate both scored 22 points each to lead the Scots scoring attack, while Kristen Baham and Mari-Hanna Newsom each had 12 points. Savanna Lopez came off the bench to score nine points and Kayla Richardson added three.
The Scots started off with a 6-2 lead with two three-pointers from Byars. Newsom hit a three-pointer and Byars got free for a jumper to make it an 11-4 Lyon College lead. Baham hit a three-pointer and Tate scored inside for a 16-6 lead. Two free throws from Tate made it 18-10 with 5:01 left in the first quarter.
The Bobcats went on an 8-2 run to close the gap before Baham hit a basket for Lyon College. College of the Ozarks scored the next four points to take a two point lead by the end of the first quarter.
Byars tied the game for the Scots to start the second quarter, 24-24. Richardson hit a free throw, but Batesville-native Taylor Rush put the Bobcats back in front with a three-pointer. Tate made two free throws to tie the game at 27-27. Minutes later, Tate scored again inside and Byars tied the game at 31-31 on a jumper. With five minutes to go in the half, Tate hit from inside to tie it at 33-33. A jumper by Richardson kept the Scots close after a three-pointer from the Bobcats, but from there College of the Ozarks went on a 14-0 run to end the half leading by 15 points.
Newsom started the third quarter for the Scots with a deep three-pointer, then Tate and Byars scored. Baham made a jumper and Newsom hit another three-pointer to cut the Ozarks lead to 10 points. Byars made a steal and layup to make it eight points and Tate scored inside for Lyon College. Byars scored again to cut the Bobcats lead to four points with 4:39 to go in the third quarter.
Ozarks moved back out to an 11-point lead, but Tate made three shots in a row to cut the advantage back to eight points. Three-pointers from Newsom and Baham made it 68-64.
Byars opened the fourth quarter with a basket to cut Ozarks lead to two points, but the Bobcats moved back out to a seven point lead before Tate scored inside again. Lopez came in to score inside and Baham scored on a jump shot. Lopez put in another basket and added a free throw cut the Ozarks lead to 77-76 with 5:08 to play.
Ozarks scored the next five points, but Lopez scored twice to make it 86-80. From there Lyon College didn't score in the final 2:23.
