WICHITA, Kan. – The No. 23-ranked College of the Ozarks Lady Bobcats outscored the Friends University Falcons 27-13 to come away with a 72-59 win in a non-conference matchup tonight (Dec. 15) inside the Garvey Center.

The Falcons carried a one-point lead into the fourth quarter over the nationally ranked Lady Bobcats, but a three by Abbey Linville began a 9-0 run to open the final period and put College of the Ozarks up 54-46.

A three by Kori Babcock trimmed the deficit to five with 4:37 left, however six made free throws keyed a 9-2 spurt over the next three minutes that put the game away for the Lady Bobcats.

After a three by Babcock opened the game, the Falcons missed their next eight attempts from the perimeter as College of the Ozarks got 15 first quarter points from Logan Jones to build a 21-9 lead heading into the second period.

Trailing by nine with 6:25 left in the half, Jadyn Glasgow provided a spark with five points to help the Falcons claw within two at the break.

The Falcons charged out of the gate when Babcock started the second half exactly like the first with a three to give Friends its first lead since that early moment in the game.

Another trey from Babcock pushed the Friends lead as high as seven before the Lady Bobcats closed the quarter with seven of the last nine points to come within 46-45 heading to the fourth.

"We did a great job of battling back from the hole we started in to get the lead going into the fourth quarter," said Friends women's basketball head coach Dean Jaderston. "At the end, there were a series of possessions where it came down to them making shots and us missing them. I thought we got good looks…we just have to make a couple of those to stop the momentum switch. It was a good game to show us where we have to get better when we come back after break."

Rayland Garner led the Falcons with 16 points, with Babock hitting five threes to finish with 15 points. Taylor Jackson had a team-high nine rebounds and Lauryn McIver dished out a team-leading four assists for Friends (7-4).

Jones paced College of the Ozarks with a game-high 28 points and Kayley Frank was next with 15 points. Linville added 13 points off the bench, while Susanna Moran had a double-double of 11 points and 17 boards. Jones and Blythe Benefield each recorded a game-leading six assists for the Lady Bobcats.

Two factors that supported a College of the Ozarks win was a 43-24 edge in rebounding and warming up to shoot 56 percent (14-of-25) in the second half after a 37.9 percent (11-of-29) clip in the opening half.

Following the Christmas Break, the Falcons will be back at the Garvey Center to host Missouri Valley College on Dec. 30 for a 3 pm tip-off.

Catch the Falcons after Christmas, purchase tickets HERE!