Box Score
CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – Louisiana College will open postseason play at home. The No. 19-ranked Lady Wildcats clinched a share of the American Southwest Conference East – and earned the right to host the league tournament – Thursday with an 86-66 victory over Ozarks at Mabee Gymnasium.

“This brings back memories of two years ago when we hosted the tournament,” LC senior Roslyn Wilmer said.  “I am thinking of that right now.”

The victory gave LC a 19-2 record, including a 16-1 mark in ASC play. The Lady Cats have a three-game lead over second-place Texas-Dallas with three games to play. The Comets (17-5 overall, 13-4 ASC) still could tie LC for the East title but they would lose out on hosting through the league's tie-breaking procedures.

“We're excited, but there is not going to be any letup,” said LC junior forward Natosha Gottlieb, who finished with 24 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals in 20 minutes of action.

“Our next game (Saturday at Texas-Dallas) still is important,” Gottlieb said. “It's important for regional rankings and it's important for national rankings.  It's important for a lot of reasons.”

“Just because we reached our first goal doesn't mean that we can letup,” senior guard Shasidy Ludgood said. “We want to send a message to everyone else. We're not through.”

Thursday's victory did not come as easily as the final score would make it seem.

Ozarks, playing at a much faster tempo than it normally does, hung with LC for the first 27 minutes of the game, trailing by just seven points at 58-51 with 13:14 remaining.

“Give Ozarks a lot of credit,” LC coach Jason Tinsley said. “They competed their guts out. I think they made the decision that they were going to try to run with us.  They never gave up and they competed hard. And anyone who knows me knows I don't just throw that word around.”

Ozarks finally ran out of gas in the middle of the second half as LC went on a 21-5 tear to put the game out of reach at 79-56 with 4:45 to play.

“We finally wore them down in the second half,” Tinsley said.

Freshman point guard Keana Frank had a big game for the Lady Cats, finishing with 15 points, four assists, one steal and two turnovers in 22 minutes.

“Those were big numbers for us and we needed it since (junior point guard) Shaina (Howard) was hurt,” Tinsley said.  “We needed Keana to step up and she did.”

That didn't surprise her teammates at all.

“It's been coming,” Gottlieb said. “She just needed the game to slow down for her. This is just the beginning for her. She is just going to get better and better.”

Frank is listed at 5-foot but might not be that tall.

“I am not as nervous as I was when I first got here,” Frank said. “I was more of a passer at first. Now I am more comfortable shooting the ball.”

Wilmer, who has been battling the flu, scored 13 points for LC.

“This was a good team win for us,” Tinsley said. “I said team because really no one but Tosha and Keana had what you would call great games. Everyone else was a little off. But we did enough to win the game.”

After LC's game Saturday at Texas-Dallas, the Lady Cats will finish the season with three straight home games before hosting the eight-team ASC tourney Feb. 24-26 at H.O. West Fieldhouse, where they have won 35 straight games over the last four seasons.

“We still have a lot of goals ahead of us,” Ludgood said. “We're not stopping. We want to remain undefeated at home. We want to win the conference tournament and then go one to the NCAA.”