The Lowdown: Mid-America Christian University at No. 4 Oklahoma City University.
Time: 6 p.m. Location: Abe Lemons Arena, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Live Video, Audio, Stats:
http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/okcu.portal#
What's at stake: A win at OCU would give the Lady Evangels a marquee victory and bring their record to .500 in the Sooner Athletic Conference at 3-3. For the defending NAIA National Champion Stars, it would be their 14th straight win and seventh in a row to begin conference play.
The Dish on the Lady Evangels: The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels won their second straight game with a 61-54 victory at John Brown University last Saturday (Jan. 19). Kourtni Williams and Emilie Schirmer each led the way with 13 points. The Lady Evangels are now 11-5 overall and 2-3 in the SAC, the fastest they've reached 11 victories since joining the NAIA in 2007.
Williams is the reigning SAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week and is having the kind of season that is certain to garner SAC Player of the Year consideration. The 5-11 senior forward from Fayetteville, Ark. leads the league in scoring with 17.9 ppg and is third in rebounding with 9.0 rpg. Senior guard Parris Price is fifth in the league with 14.4 ppg along and is third with 2.4 steals a game. Senior point guard Sabrina McKinney has dished out a team-best 94 assists on the season.
The Dish on the Stars: The Oklahoma City University Stars are now 14-2 overall and 6-0 in the SAC after winning 56-33 at Oklahoma Baptist University last Saturday and routing No. 13-ranked Rogers State University 87-39 on Thursday. The Stars have won 13 straight overall since beginning the season 1-2.
Lauren Gober leads the Stars in scoring with 16.8 ppg, while Katie Hall is second with 12.1 ppg along with a team-high 9.1 rebounds a game. Desiree Jeffries has recorded a team-best 57 assists this season.
Familiar Setting: MACU head coach Roman Owen will be entering familiar territory tonight with the Lady Evangels matchup at OCU tonight. Owen was an assistant coach for the OCU Men's Basketball program for two seasons prior to arriving at MACU.
The Coaches:
Roman Owen is in his third season leading both the Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels women's basketball team and the men's golf squad.
Owen led the Lady Evangels to their most conference wins (8) in the 2010-11 season since joining the Sooner Athletic Conference and their first NCCAA Central Regional title since 2007. Owen then coached the Lady Evangels to a fifth-place finish at the NCCAA National Tournament, losing only an overtime heartbreaker to eventual national champ Bethel College in the opening game of the tourney. He also guided the Lady Evangels to their best start since joining the NAIA last season by opening the year with five straight victories. Owen has produced four All-Conference performers in his two seasons at the helm.
Latricia Trammell enters her first season as head coach at Oklahoma City University after spending the five years in the same position at Western State (Colo.). Trammell previously served as an assistant at OCU for three seasons.
