BAUXITE – The Bauxite Lady Miners defeated the Harding Academy Lady Wildcats 45-42 in nonconference action Tuesday night at Fred Dawson Gym in Bauxite, but it didn’t end quite like the Lady Miners envisioned. Up 43-29 after two Mili Olguin free throws with just over four minutes left in the game, Harding went on a 13-0 run to get within 43-42 with 19 seconds left. Senior Joscelyn Rogers, who led Bauxite with 11 points and five steals, hit two free throws to seal it in the end.
“We saw a little bit of this in the last game,” Bauxite Coach Cody Lambert said of the late letdown. “They would take a lead and it was just like, ‘We’re good enough to coast,’ and we just can’t do that.
“We’re good because we work our tails off every play, take care of the ball, do things right and work as a team. That last four minutes, we didn’t do those things. We were selfish, not fundamental, but Harding is quick.”
Harding went up 4-0 early in the game, but the Lady Miners (6-4) responded with a 13-0 run began by a Rogers’ 3-pointer and capped by freshman Daikerria Strong’s lay in with 1:49 left in the first quarter and a 13-4 Bauxite lead.