OKLAHOMA CITY - A pair of records fell in the Mid-America Christian University women's basketball game on Thursday night, and both records had stood for a considerable length of time - one since February of 2001, and the other since January of 1994.
MACU (10-3, 4-3 SAC) broke their 18-year-old single game team scoring record, and their 25-year old record for most made field goals in a game, as the Evangels dominated Bacone College (0-11, 0-8 SAC) 124-48.
MACU opened the game on a 16-0 run, and Bacone did not dent the scoreboard for the first five minutes of the game until Emily Coleman made a long 3-pointer. MACU shot 61% from the floor in the opening quarter, but four 3-pointers helped Bacone keep the game close at 28-18 after 10 minutes of play.
The Evangels offense kicked into high gear in the second quarter. MACU put up 34 points in the period, led by seven points from Nevada Denton in the frame. At the same time, MACU stifled the Bacone attack, allowing only 10 points in the frame, and at the break, MACU led 62-28.
The Evangels' defense cranked up the defensive pressure in the third frame, holding Bacone to 2-for-13 shooting in the period, and headed into the fourth frame, MACU found themselves within striking distance of the records and holding a 91-35 lead. A Jaidan Alley 3-pointer pushed MACU above the 100-point mark with 7:47 to play in the game. That basket came as a part of a 14-0 MACU run, and with less than a minute to go, Alley buried another 3-pointer to tie the MACU single game scoring record - which had been 122 points since February 23, 2001. On MACU's next possession, Alley found Avery Gregory under the basket to set a new single game scoring record as MACU won the game 124-48.
The single game field goals made record - previously 45 - had stood since January 28, 1994.
Coleman led all scorers in the game with 18 points, and five MACU players joined her in double figures. Alley notched 17 points in the game, Gregory tallied a career-high 15 points - a total matched by Jessica Fairley in the game - and Alexis Shannon and Ossyana Ozoani each chipped in 10. Ozoani pulled in a team-high seven rebounds, Shannon and Coleman each dished out six assists, and Shannon had three steals.
MACU connected on 49 of 76 (64.5%) shots in the game, and 15 of 33 (45.5%) 3-pointers. MACU also made 11 of 14 (78.6%) foul shots in the game, and the Evangels held a commanding 50-20 rebounding advantage.
MACU will try to continue building momentum on Saturday when they head to Siloam Springs, Arkansas. The Evangels will battle the John Brown University Golden Eagles (10-5, 6-2 SAC) on that afternoon at Bill George Arena, with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m.
