Perhaps if Haskell Indian Nations University's women's basketball team was at full strength Friday, it could have eked out a double-overtime victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan.
Instead, the injured and sick Fightin' Indians were silenced after two extra periods when the Eagles prevailed, 74-70.
"We just clearly ran out of steam at the end without a couple of starters and role players out there," HINU coach Phil Homeratha said.
OWU's Kacey Inman's 24 points and Britney Kannady's 29 were too much for the depleted Indians (7-17) to overcome.
"They really played as hard as they could, we just didn't have enough in the end," Homeratha said.
Haskell was led by Mellissa Catron's 21 points and 10 rebounds. Lucita Yesslith and Recinda Adams each added 10 points.
Homeratha probably won't dwell on the loss, though.
Today, members of the Indians' 1998-99 women's basketball team will be honored during halftime of the Haskell-College of the Ozarks men's basketball game at 5 p.m. at Coffin Complex. The women's game will start at 3 p.m.
That team, coached by Homeratha, qualified for the NJCAA Division Two national tournament in Hagerstown, Md.
Ceremonies will include an unveiling of a team banner marking the Indians' third-place finish and a banner denoting that Robin Shield, the leading scorer on that team, was named a second-team All-American.
"That was a special, special team," Homeratha said. "It's too bad we switched to a four year school, or that group would have really got going, and could have challenged even some of the larger small schools in the area."
"I haven't see a lot of them in a long time, so it should be a lot of fun to be back together."
Oklahoma Wesleyan men 75, HINU 64
Much like the HINU women, Haskell's men hung around with Oklahoma Wesleyan but ran out of gas at the end.
"We've been in all of our conference games, we've just made so many critical mistakes at the worst moments," HINU coach Jamie Morrison said. "I just think that if we can get that first win, a few of them will fall in line."
The Indians cut the Eagles' lead to two, 61-59, with 6:04 to play on a three-point play by Topah Spoonhunter, who tied for the team lead with 13 points.
However, the Indians were outscored 14-5 the rest of the game, when the Eagles sealed things from the line.
Wesleyan was led by Matt Conboy's 20 points, while Jermaine Boykins scored 15, and Zach Trimble added 14.
Former Lawrence High player Jamie Peterson, who graduated in 2002, suited up for the Eagles but did not play.
Along with Spoonhunter's 13 points, Chad Kaler added 13 for 2-14 Haskell, while Andy Deal scored 11.
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