The Lowdown: No. 2 Oklahoma City University @ Mid-America Christian University
Time: Thursday (Feb. 5) 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 won both games this past week, earning Alexia Kelley Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Week in the process. Kelley averaged 17.5 ppg, nine rebounds on 59.3 percent shooting from the field in the two victories that moved the Lady Evangels to 13-6 overall and into a tie for fourth place in the SAC with a 6-4 conference record.
Ashlee Ferguson is leading the Lady Evangels with 16.2 points per game and is also tops in threes (57). Alexia Kelley is averaging a double-double of 12.7 points and 10.7 rebounds, while Alliyah Spatafora has dished out a team-high 96 assists on the season.
The Dish on the Stars: After dropping their opening game of the season at Langston University, the No. 2-ranked and defending NAIA National Champion Oklahoma City University Stars have been on a tear, winning 15 straight to run their record to 15-1 overall and a perfect 10-0 in the SAC.
Rateska Brown is tops for the Stars in scoring with 20.5 points per game, followed by Ouleymatou Coulibaly at 16.3 ppg and a team-high 9.5 rebounds per game. Janay Borum has recorded a team-leading 105 assists on the season for OCU.
The Series: The Lady Evangels have dropped all 15 meetings with OCU since joining the NAIA. In the first matchup this season, MACU gave OCU all it wanted in the first half and trailed by only one at the break. But the Stars opened the second half on a 13-0 run to pull away for the win.
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 31-20 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.
Latricia Trammell is in her third season as head coach of the Oklahoma City University Stars after guiding the Stars to their seventh NAIA national championship last year. In her first season, Trammell was named SAC Coach of the Year in her first season after guiding OCU to a 28-4 overall record and a perfect 16-0 conference mark. Before arriving at OCU, Trammell was the head coach at Western State (Colo.) for five seasons.
Up Next: The Lady Evangels will stay at home and host St. Gregory's University Saturday afternoon (Feb. 7) at 1 p.m. inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
