ROGERS — Lacey Murray made sure her final game at War Eagle Arena was a good one.
The 5-foot-9 senior poured in a game-high 22 points, including four free throws in the final minute, to help the Lady Eagles claim a 55-51 win over Siloam Springs in 7A/6A-West Conference girls basketball action on Friday night.
Heritage coach Kevin Ramey said when point guard Brittany Ward was injured a week ago, he talked to several players about having to step forward and take more shots.
Murray played like she heard the message.
“Lacey’s played well the last three or four games,” Ramey said. “She’s looking to be more aggressive offensively. It’s a great time of the year for her to step up and share the scoring load.”
Murray spurred the Lady War Eagles (19-8, 9-5) with back-to-back 3-pointers to end the third quarter. The second one came at the third-quarter buzzer and gave Heritage a 39-37 lead.
Siloam Springs (12-13, 5-9) tied the score at 39-39, but Murray’s 3-pointer and runner in the lane in the midst of a 8-2 spurt put the Lady War Eagles ahead for good in the fourth quarter.
Ramey pointed out the senior trio of Murray, Ellen Lundy and Ashley Ward came up big in the second half. The three players combined for 49 of Heritage’s 55 points. Lundy added 15 and Ward had 12.
“Let’s not underestimate what those three seniors did in the second half,” Ramey said. “We needed to rebound better and keep the ball out of Baily Cameron’s hands.”
Siloam Springs coach Brett Sanders acknowledged Murray’s 3-pointers to end the third quarter were huge.
“It wore on us, got in our minds,” Sanders said. “And it got in their minds just the opposite.”
Morgan Miller led Siloam Springs with 13, while Ashlin Stock added 11.
The victory snapped a two-game skid for Heritage and gave the Lady War Eagles momentum heading into next week’s Class 7A state tournament, Ramey said
“It was really important for our psyche,” Ramey said. “We needed to win and reprove to our kids we were OK.”
It’s unsure whether Heritage will be the No. 3 or the No. 4 seed in next week’s state tournament, according to Rogers athletic director Mark Holderbaum.
The Lady Panthers advance to the 6A state tournament in Greenwood and will play the host Lady Bulldogs at 1 p.m. Thursday.
ROGERS HERITAGE 55, SILOAM SPRINGS 51
Siloam Springs 9 14 14 14 — 51
Heritage 7 12 20 16 — 55
Siloam Springs (12-13, 5-): Miller 13, Stock 11, Pippin 9, Cameron 9, Gay 4, Owens 3, Lopez 2.
Rogers Heritage (19-8, 9-5): Murray 22, Lundy 15, Ward 12, Jobst 3, Britton 3.
Junior Varsity: Siloam Springs 29, Rogers Heritage 28.