CHICKASHA, Okla. - In the first half of their game on Tuesday night, the Mid-America Christian University women's basketballteam experienced a lot of success on the offensive end of the floor against the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma. The Evangels were able to score at the rim, they drew fouls, and they made free throws, building a lead that reached double-figures in the process.
In the second half, however, the story was very different.
MACU (15-7, 9-7 SAC) scored only 16 second half points as USAO (15-9, 10-6 SAC) stifled the Evangels' attempts to go back inside, and the Drovers came from behind to take the win 79-56.
USAO struck first in the game, but MACU rattled off seven straight points in response to that, and the Evangels led for the remainder of the first half. MACU took a 10-point lead for the first time on a 3-pointer from Jessica Fairly with 5:11 to play in the first quarter, and MACU fought off a charge from the Drovers to take a 23-15 lead into the first quarter break. The lead reached as many as 12 for the Evangels in the second frame, on a pair of free throws from Alexis Shannon with 3:33 to play in the half, and at the break, MACU held a 40-33 lead.
The Drovers, though, took control from the start of the third quarter. USAO opened the second half on a 9-0 run to take a 42-40 lead with 6:18 to go in the period, and though Sydney Wycoff answered with a 3-pointer to give MACU the lead back just less than a minute later, the Evangels were unable to get the momentum back. Shannon scored at the 4:15 mark of the third to give MACU the lead for what proved to be the final time in the game, and from there USAO used another 9-0 run to take an eight point lead and the Drovers never looked back. USAO led after the third quarter 53-48, and they held MACU to only three made field goals in the final frame as the Drovers pulled away to the 79-56 win.
Shannon led the Evangels in scoring with 18, a number which moves her into second place on the NAIA-era scoring list for MACU. She passed April Hale (2007-11) who tallied 978 points in her career, and Shannon now has 988 career tallies. Shannon now trails only Ashlee Ferguson (998; 2013-15) in NAIA-era scoring at MACU, and she is only 12 points shy of tying Jennifer Lewis for 9th on the MACU all-time scoring list at 1,000 points.
Shannon also led MACU in rebounding in the game with nine, and she tied with Shaylan Coleman for the team lead in assists with three. As a team, MACU actually won the rebounding battle 34-33, but they made only 19 of 59 (32.2%) shots in the game, 5 of 21 (23.8%) 3-pointers, and 13 of 18 (72.2%) free throws.
The Evangels will open a 3-game home stand on Thursday night when they welcome the Central Christian College of Kansas Tigers (2-20, 1-14 SAC) to the Gaulke for a 6 p.m. tip-off.
