OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels outscored the Bacone College Lady Warriors 34-21 in the fourth quarter and went on to an 86-77 victory in Sooner Athletic Conference action tonight (Jan. 28) inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
The Lady Evangels entered the final period down 56-52 and trailed by three early in the period when Kelli Tolar scored the next seven points to give MACU a four-point lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Following three straight by the Lady Warriors that cut the lead to one, Alliyah Spatafora keyed a 13-0 burst with two threes and eight points that gave the Lady Evangels a commanding 75-61 lead with 5:04 remaining.
MACU then extended the lead to 16 on two occasions and never allowed the Lady Warriors within single-digits until the final margin.
The Lady Warriors made their run in the third quarter behind 10 points from Jasmine Flanagan that fueled a 17-8 run that turned a two-point deficit into a 53-46 lead at the two minute mark.
The Lady Evangels trailed by four in the opening quarter but grabbed the lead on seven straight points from Tolar and then a bucket from Spatafora that capped a 9-0 spurt and produced a five-point edge of 16-11.
MACU led 20-16 after one period and stretched the edge to eight before the Lady Warriors scored the next nine points to regain the lead.
A trey from Tolar halted the spurt and put MACU back on top and five points by Janaya Hines pushed the lead back to five when a three by Jasmine Flanagan brought Bacone within 36-34 at the break.
Spatafora led the Lady Evangels with a career-best 24 points, while Tolar also scored 24 following her record-setting 43 point output in the win at USAO on Tuesday (Jan. 26). D'Shala Culberson recorded a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds and Hines also scored a career-high 12 points. Lindsey Mann added 11 points for MACU along with a team-high six assists.
Flanagan scored 24 to pace the Lady Warriors, with Ashley Barry-Wallace producing a double-double of 23 points and 10 boards.
The Lady Evangels will now look for their third straight victory when they host Texas Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon (Jan. 30) at 3 p.m. MACU won a thriller at TWU, 81-80 in the SAC opener.
