OKLAHOMA CITY – For three quarters of their game against the NAIA's #4 team, the Mid-America Christian University women's basketball team acquitted themselves very well. The Evangels, however, struggled coming out of the locker room at halftime, and that proved costly.
MACU (15-7, 9-5 SAC) held a 42-41 halftime lead, but the Evangels scored only eight points in the third quarter, and as a result, #4 Oklahoma City University (19-4, 12-2 SAC) was able to escape with a victory, 85-73.
The lead changed hands with each of the game's first five scores before MACU's Alexis Shannon scored with 5:45 left in the first quarter to put MACU up 7-4. Shannon scored again less than a minute later to push MACU's lead to five, but back-to-back 3-pointers from the Stars gave OCU the 10-9 lead at the 4:04 mark. OCU then built a lead of as many as four points before two free throws from Shannon pulled MACU to with two at 22-20 after the first period.
Jennah Coffman scored 15 seconds into the second frame to tie the score at 22, and once again, the game took on a back-and-forth feel. Neither team led by more than three points in the frame, and after a free throw miss from OCU's Michaela Kay, Shannon grabbed the rebound and raced to the other end of the floor, scoring at the buzzer to put MACU on top 42-41 at the break.
OCU quickly poured in six points to open the third quarter to take a 47-42 lead, but MACU twice closed the gap to a single point, the last of those instances coming with 5:51 showing on the clock after a pair of free throw makes from Shannon pulled MACU to within 49-48.
The final six minutes of the quarter were not kind to the Evangels. OCU closed the period on a 13-2 run, as the Lady Evangels did not make a shot from the floor in the final 6:26 of the period, and they made only 2-of-16 (12.5%) shots in the quarter, as OCU opened a 62-50 lead with 10 minutes to play. The lead eventually reached 19 points before MACU battled back to get within a dozen at the final horn, as OCU took the win 85-73.
Shannon was the only Evangel to reach double-figures, and she did so emphatically with 31 points and she also grabbed 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Shannon also eclipsed the 30-point threshold for the fourth time this year. Nevada Denton added eight points and four assists, and Chelseah Savage scored seven and dished out eight helpers. MACU shot the ball respectably well from the floor, making 26-of-64 (40.6%) shots as a team, and from long range where they were 8-for-22 (36.4%). The Lady Evangels had a strong game at the foul line, connecting on 13-of-16 (81.3%) charity tosses.
The Evangels will now come home for a tough home test on Thursday night when they welcome the Golden Eagles of John Brown University (14-8, 8-5 SAC) to the Gaulke Activity Center. Both MACU and JBU are receiving votes in the current NAIA Coaches' Top-25 poll. The Evangels hold a half-game lead on JBU for the final home game in the Sooner Athletic Conference quarterfinal round, and thanks to a win at JBU last month, the Lady Evangels are in position to pick up the tiebreaker with the Golden Eagles with a victory. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
