The Lowdown: USAO @ Mid-America Christian University
Time: Thursday (Jan. 29) at 6 p.m.
Location: Gaulke Activity Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Live Video:
Live Stats:
The Dish on the Lady Evangels: The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels lost 88-52 last Saturday (Jan. 24) to the No. 8-ranked Oklahoma Baptist University Lady Bison. The Lady Evangels now stand at 11-6 overall and are tied for fifth in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a 4-4 conference record.
Ashlee Ferguson is leading the Lady Evangels with 16.1 points per game and is also tops in threes (50). Alexia Kelley is averaging a double-double of 12.2 points and 10.9 rebounds, while Alliyah Spatafora has dished out a team-high 87 assists on the season.
The Dish on the Drovers: The USAO Drovers have dropped three straight and five of their last six to come in at 6-10 overall and 3-5 in the SAC.
Ndeye Ngom is leading the Drovers in points (11.5 ppg) and assists (38) this season. Mahogany Nelms is scoring 11.1 ppg and WyKeena King has a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game for USAO.
The Series: After dropping the first five games against the Drovers, the Lady Evangels have won the past 11 games between the two schools since joining the NAIA. MACU is 5-2 against USAO at home and have won the last five meetings inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
The Coaches:
Marcus Moeller is in his second season as the head women's basketball coach after serving as assistant coach for the past two seasons. He has also served as the Assistant Athletic Director at MACU for the past two years. Moeller has a solid 29-20 record to this point at the helm.
In his first year guiding the program, Moeller guided the Lady Evangels to new heights, leading MACU its most wins (18) since joining the NAIA and also a program-best 11 victories in the rugged Sooner Athletic Conference.
Prior to arriving at MACU, Moeller after served three years as an assistant coach at Missouri Southern State University under the tutorship of head coach Maryann Mitts. In those three seasons, Moeller helped MSSU compile an overall combined record of 51-33 and qualify for three MIAA conference tournaments.
He assisted in all areas of the MSSU program including recruiting, scouting, practice and gameday preparations, and academic success.
Before coaching at MSSU, Moeller had a successful playing career at Ozark Christian College in Joplin where he played in all 147 games over a four-year span. Moeller, a two-year captain, averaged eight points and five assists while helping lead the Ambassadors to a 24-16 record his senior season.
Moeller earned a three-year Associate's degree in Christian Education from Ozark Christian College in 2008 and a BS in General Studies from Missouri Southern in 2010.
He recently married Hannah Owen, former MACU assistant basketball coach during the 2010-11 season.
Jennifer Hayden is in her second season as head coach of the USAO Drovers following a two-year stint on the staff of NCAA Division III Sul Ross State University. Before arriving at Sul Ross, Hayden began a new program as head coach of the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, N.M.
Up Next: The Lady Evangels will make the trek to Waxahachie, Texas to play at Southwestern Assemblies of God University Saturday afternoon (Jan. 31) at 3 p.m.
