FORT SMITH, Arkansas – Northwestern Oklahoma State’s women’s basketball etched their name into school history as they became the first Ranger team, in any sport, to win a GAC Championship title and to secure a spot into the NCAA Tournament. They accomplished the feat by virtue of a 71-64 win against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Sunday from the Northside Grizzly Arena.
Kira Bass shouldered the offensive burden and she turned in a Tournament-MVP-winning performance. She scored 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked two shots. No Ranger joined her in double figures until Jaida Shipp reached 10 points with 4:27 left in the game. In the three wins, she averaged 23.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks. She went 25-for-49 from the field.
In the first half, Bass and the Savage Storm’s Tori Kilburn traded baskets back and forth. Bass scored 14 of the Rangers’ 36 points. Conversely, Kilburn accounted for 17 of the 27 first-half points for the Savage Storm (18-13). She made 4-of-5 shots and added nine free throws. The rest of the team went just 3-of-23 in the opening 20 minutes.
Southeastern chipped away at the Northwestern advantage in the third quarter. As Bass and Shipp battled foul trouble, the Savage Storm drew to within five, 49-44. Kilburn scored eight of their 17 points and Mackenzie Espinosa plus Abbie Barr each made 3-pointers.
Shipp scored 12 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter, including five after Bass fouled out to sew away the title. She joined Bass on the All-Tournament team alongside teammates Summya Adigun and Catyn Graham. Adigun scored 11 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Graham played all 120 minutes at the tournament. She averaged 8.3 points and 2.3 steals.
Kilburn finished with 27 points and claimed a spot on the All-Tournament team. Kenzli Warden, Arkansas Tech’s AbbiGrace Cunningham and Harding’s Tori Sanders rounded out the eight-member team.
The win extended a streak of teams winning the GAC Championship when they reach the final for the first time. Each of the last four teams playing in their first final has defeated a team with title-game experience - Arkansas Tech, in 2013; Southern Nazarene, in 2021 and Henderson State, in 2024.