BETHANY, Okla. - The Mid-America Christian University women's basketball team inched closer to hosting a Sooner Athletic Conference tournament game on Thursday night. Coach Hannah Moeller's team picked up the season series sweep of Southwestern Christian University, and in the process they earned their 20th win and put themselves in great position to host the quarterfinal round of the SAC tourney.
MACU (20-7, 14-7 SAC) dominated SCU (10-17, 7-14 SAC) in the paint, on the fast break, and on second chances, as the Evangels spoiled senior night at Pickens-Springer Gymnasium with an 86-74 win.
SCU scored first on a 3-pointer from Amy Tully, but Jennah Coffman answered that with a triple of her own, and with 6:39 to play in the first quarter, Shaylan Coleman scored on the fast break to give MACU a 7-5 lead that they did not relinquish. Over the next four minutes and change, MACU ran off a 15-3 run to take a 20-8 lead, and after 10 minutes of play, MACU held a 23-12 lead.
The second quarter belonged to SCU. A 7-0 run for the Eagles closed the gap to 26-21 with 7:26 to play in the first half, and SCU continued to whittle away at the margin. MACU re-opened the lead to 10 on a bucket from Coffman with 4:37 to play in the half, but SCU closed the period on an 11-4 spurt to pull within a single score at halftime, 40-37.
Four times early in the third quarter, SCU pulled within two points, but each time, MACU answered to maintain the lead. SCU cut the gap to a single score for the final time in the period with 3:46 to play on a 3-point shot from Tully, but MACU tallied 11 of the final 16 points of the frame to take a 66-57 lead to the final stanza. Alexis Shannon knocked down a free throw to push the lead to double-digits with 8:55 to play in the game, and the margin dipped below 10 only once more in the contest. MACU led by as many as 15, and the Evangels cruised in with the 86-74 win.
Shaylan Coleman led all scorers in the game with 23 points, and Shannon joined her in double figures for MACU with 14 points. Jessica Fairley had an outstanding defensive game, grabbing a dozen rebounds and swatting a career-high five blocks while also picking up five steals.
MACU made 30 of 63 (47.6%) shots in the game, including seven of 14 (50%) from beyond the arc. The Evangels did struggle at the foul line, making only 19 of 30 (63.3%) from the charity stripe.
MACU now heads into Saturday's senior day finale with a one-game lead on Southwestern Assemblies of God University for the final home game in the SAC tournament quarterfinal round. The Evangels need either a win, or a SAGU loss to NAIA #6 Wayland Baptist University to seal the home game over the Lady Lions.
MACU will honor their three seniors - Jennah Coffman, Shaylan Coleman, and Darby Price - on Saturday when the Evangels host Senior Day festivities. MACU will play host to NAIA #10 Oklahoma City University (26-3, 19-2 SAC) at 2 p.m. with senior day ceremonies to take place after the game and before the men's contest.
