BATESVILLE, Arkansas - The Lyon College women's basketball team won their first game of the season, as well as their first home game at Becknell Gymnasium this year when Samantha Taylor made a free throw with .5 seconds left on the clock to lift the Scots to a 96-95 win over the visiting University of the Ozarks Eagles.

The Scots (1-2) were led in scoring by Allison Byars with 29 points. Savannah Lopez had 24 points, while Taylor and Stella Parker had 14 points each in the win. Naomi Smith had 24 points and 17 rebounds, Amanda Turpin had 24 points, Heaven Hayden had 19 points and Destini Powell scored 15 for the Eagles (2-2).

The first quarter started out with a 5-2 lead for Lyon on a three-pointer from Byars and a jumper inside from Lopez. Taylor added two free throws and Parker hit a jump shot for a 9-2 lead. A basket in the paint from Taylor kept the lead at seven points for Lyon, but the Eagles came back to take a 14-11 advantage with 5:07 to go in the period. Byars put in two free throws, Zharia Childress put in a basket and Byars made a jumper to put the Scots up by three, 17-14. Another score inside from Childress made it a five-point lead, but Ozarks finished the first quarter on an 8-0 run to lead 22-19.

Lopez hit a jumper, Taylor completed a three-point play and Lopez made another jump shot to put the Scots ahead 26-24 in the first minute of the second quarter. The Eagles went up by three points when Natalya Kaza made a three-pointer from the wing to tie the game at 29-29. Ozarks got two three-pointers in a row to open up a six point lead until Byars scored for Lyon. Lopez scored twice, but the Eagles maintained their six-point advantage, 41-35. Again, Lopez scored inside, but Ozarks increased their lead to 11 points on another Turpin three-pointer 48-37 with 3:39 left before halftime.
Lopez scored again and Byars hit a jump shot. Byars completed a three-point play, then Alexis Soloman made a three-pointer and Lopez scored inside to end the first half with the Scots trailing 53-49.

Parker opened the third quarter with a jumper, then Byars tied the game on a fast-break layup 53-53. A three-pointer from Parker put the Scots up by one point and the Eagles went on a short run that put them up by four points. Taylor made a shot and Parker hit a three-pointer. Byars scored inside to close the Eagles lead to one point, 64-63, then Kaza scored inside for the Scots and Byars connected on a layup. Lopez put Lyon in front with 23 seconds to go on jump shot, but Ozarks tied the game at 68-68 on a free throw.

In the fourth period, Byars started the scoring with a three-pointer, but the Eagles came back to lead by four points 75-71. Baskets from Byars and Lopez scored, but Ozarks made a three-pointer. Taylor scored on a layup and Parker hit a shot in the paint to get the Scots to within one point, 80-79 with 5:28 to play. A minute and a half later, Lopez put in a jumper to give Lyon the lead and Parker hit another shot in the lane. A minute later, Byars made a free throw to give the Scots a two point advantage, but a three-pointer from the Eagles put them back in front. Kaza made a three-pointer with 1:16 left to give the Scots a one-point lead, 87-86. 
The Eagles scored six straight points to lead 92-87 with 26 seconds left, but two free throws made from Byars, a turnover by Ozarks resulted in a basket layup from Byars, but two free throws by the Eagles with 14 seconds left put them back up by three points. Taylor made a free throw, then Kaza intercepted a long pass and threw it back down court to Lopez for a with two seconds left to put the Scots up by one point, 95-94, but there was a Lyon foul. Turpin made the first free throw for the Eagles, but missed the second and Taylor got the rebound for Lyon and was fouled with .5 seconds remaining.
Taylor missed the first free throw, but calmly made the second to give the Scots the victory.

Lyon College returns home after the Thanksgiving break to play at home against the Hendrix College Warriors on November 30.