ABILIENE, Texas – The Concordia Texas women's basketball team used a huge fourth quarter and a stellar defensive effort to defeat Hardin-Simmons in thrilling fashion 62-59 Saturday at Mabee Complex.
 
CTX, behind 18 points from Payton Berger, stopped their six game losing streak to move to 7-9, 3-5 ASC on the year.
 
Berger, a sophomore from Azle, Texas, tied a career high in points while also adding five rebounds. The transfer from Western Texas JC has now scored at least 12 points in each of her last five games.
 
The Tornados jumped ahead early, going on a 9-0 run to take a 9-3 lead with 2:50 left in the first quarter. CTX held a 15-7 lead at the end of the first stanza.
 
Hardin-Simmons rallied back in the second, however, with a 14-4 run to take a 21-19 lead. The Cowgirls led by as many as 12 thanks to a 13-2 run at the end of the third quarter.
 
The fourth quarter belonged to CTX, as they opened the fourth on a 16-4 run to take a 57-55 lead with 2:57 left to play. After HSU regained the lead at 59-57, Kaycie Dunkerley answered with a 3-pointer to give the Tornados a 60-59 lead they would not relinquish.
 
The Cowgirls had a chance to take the lead with the ball and 0:21 left, but Jaela Dejean got a key steal and took the ball coast-to-coast to put CTX up by three. HSU hit a 3-pointer to seemingly tie the game at the buzzer in the final possession, but the officials waved it off after looking at the monitor to secure the win for Concordia.
 
Statistically, the Tornados held Hardin-Simmons to just 34.0 percent from the floor and forced 26 turnovers. CTX also held a 32-18 advantage in points in the paint.
 
Four different Tornados scored in double figures as Berger, Mercedes Ellison, Dunkerely and Dejean had 18, 15, 12, and 11 points respectively.
 
CTX gets to rest for a week before finishing up next ASC matchup against UMHB Saturday at 2:00 p.m.