BETHANY, Okla. — For the first time under Derek Dorris, Southern Nazarene starts the year 3-0 after a 60-51 win over Rogers State Tuesday night.
 
The Crimson Storm got a career-high 18 points from Alexus Jones who went 3-for-4 from 3-point range and 4-for-9 from the field. She also added two assists and three rebounds and went 7-for-10 from the free-throw line. The freshman was the only player in double figures as the Storm shot 34.6 percent from the field and 4-for-12 from deep. SNU was also just 20-for-30 from the line.
 
Sidney Carolina added nine points and six rebounds while Adrienne Berry, Irene Perez and Abby Niehues all had eight points. The Hillcats (3-2) shot just 36.7 percent from the field and were 4-for-14 from 3-point range. The Storm forced 28 turnovers and scored 33 points off turnovers. SNU turned it over just 15 times.
 
The Hillcats opened the game on a 10-2 run, but the Crimson Storm answered with a an 11-5 run, capped by an Irene Perez jumper, to cut it to 15-13 with 2:34 left in the first. Rogers State pushed it to 19-15 to end the first and then went on an 8-2 run to start the second. That pushed the to lead 27-17 with 3:29 to play in the half.
 
The Hillcats took a 33-22 lead at the half, but SNU came out firing in the third quarter. The Storm started the second half on a 19-5 run to take a 41-38 lead with 3:29 left in the third. Rogers State ended the third on a 6-1 run to take a 44-42 lead to end the third.
 
It was all Crimson Storm in the fourth as SNU outscored Rogers 18-7 and Jones had seven of her points in the final quarter. SNU scored 12 of its points in the quarter off nine Hillcat turnovers.