A four-game losing streak has Ottawa at 1-5 in January.
With eight regular season games remaining, the Ottawa University women’s basketball team looks to break through a winter funk 5 p.m. Wednesday at York College in York, Nebraska.
The Lady Braves stumped York 57-44 Nov. 29 in Ottawa during the first meeting between the two teams this season. It marked one of three conference wins for OU thus far.
York in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference’s current last-place team at 4-16 (1-13 KCAC). It is on an 11-game losing streak, including a 71-48 loss to Oklahoma Wesleyan Saturday at home.
Saint Mary 65, Ottawa 61
LEAVENWORTH — Ottawa hasn’t had much better results as of recent. Its 65-61 loss Saturday at the University of Saint Mary in Leavenwoth marked the ninth loss by five points or less the Lady Braves endured this season.
The game featured five ties and six lead changes with both teams going on runs in the final three quarters.
Ottawa outscored the Spires 22-9 in the third quarter to take a 48-43 lead. It led by as many as seven (53-46) early in the fourth quarter before Saint Mary surged back. From that point (7:46 left in the fourth quarter), the Spires ended the game on a 19-8 run.
The Lady Braves made key shots as time winded down to keep hopes alive. Leslie Speer, senior forward, got a put-back basket after snagging on offensive rebound to make it 61-59 with seven seconds left. She hit another shot on OU’s next offensive possession to make it 63-61 with two seconds left, but Saint Mary hit all eight free throw attempts when Ottawa was forced to foul inside the final minute to ensure the win.
Jessica King, senior forward, led OU with 27 points. Speer added 12 points, and picked up a double-double with a career-high 15 rebounds.
Saint Mary (65) — Hinkle 23, De Los Reyes 14, Bohannon 5, Switzer 5, Parker 5, Brown 4, Barnes 3, Tate 2, White 2, Bromell 2.
Ottawa (61) — King 27, Speer 12, Kramer 7, Hughes 6, Rose 5, Offutt 2, Lewman 2.