Tahlequah closed with a 10-1 run over the final four-plus minutes to hand Grove just its third loss of the season Tuesday evening at the Tahlequah Multipurpose Activity Center. Senior standout guard Delaney Nix scored six of her game-high 14 points, including four from the foul line, over the final two minutes to help THS secure a 49-42 win. Class 5A No. 4 Tahlequah, now winners of three straight and 13-6 overall under head coach David Qualls, has handed the 4A, 13th-ranked Lady Ridgerunners two of their three setbacks -- the Lady Tigers upended Grove, 64-56, on Dec. 1 in Grove. "It was a great team win, and I think it started with our defense tonight," Qualls said. "We did a great job of rebounding toward the end." Grove (13-3) had a 41-39 lead with 4:52 remaining following a jumper from Mackenzie Woods before Tahlequah stormed back. The Lady Tigers responded with consecutive baskets from Kloe Bowin and Sierra N. Smith to take their first lead since the close of the third quarter. Kennedy Davis then followed with an inside score on an Alyson Hart assist to take a 45-41 lead with just over two minutes left. Nix added four free throws over the final 57 seconds, and Grove got its lone score on a Macee Barnes' free throw with 36 seconds showing on the clock. The Lady Ridgerunners, paced by Cheyenne Tanner's 14 points, led for a majority of the second and third quarters -- Barnes gave them their biggest lead at 34-26 after a transition layup with 4:43 remaining in the third. But the Lady Tigers bounced back and ended the quarter on a 11-1 surge that included five points from Sierra N. Smith. Smith started the run with a basket and later knocked down a jumper and added a free throw. Davis canned a baseline jumper with eight seconds left to cap the run and give the Lady Tigers a 37-35 advantage. Sierra N. Smith joined Nix in double figures with 12 points, while Davis and Sierra L. Smith added eight points apiece. Sierra L. Smith had the hot hand in the opening eight minutes where she scored all her points. Davis' eight points were a season high. "Kennedy did a great job of finding the open spots and got some big buckets," Qualls said. "She stepped up in the second half and had some critical baskets. Kennedy played great. Her shot has improved a lot since last season, and she'll do whatever you ask her to do. She did a great job defensively too." Taya Green finished with five points for THS, and Bowin chipped in with two. The Lady Tigers limited Grove to just 14 points over the final 16 minutes, including five in the fourth quarter. "Our defense in the second half was outstanding against a state-caliber team in Grove," Qualls said. "To hold them to 14 points in the second half was the key in the game. Credit Sierra L. Smith on their freshman [Rory Geer], and Delaney Nix on Barnes -- their two best players. They did an outstanding job, as did the help defense." Tahlequah will be off for the remainder of the week. The Lady Tigers will host Collinsville on Tuesday, Feb. 6 in a 6 p.m. start at the TMAC.