OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU women's basketball team will wrap-up the first half of Sooner Athletic Conference play this week as the Evangels will host John Brown inside the Gaulke Activity Center at 6 p.m. on Thursday night before heading to El Reno, Okla. on Saturday to take on Oklahoma City on the campus of Redlands Community College at 2 p.m.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 12-3 (6-3 SAC)
• Last Game: Won at SW Assemblies of God (Texas) – 100-65 – Jan. 7, 2023 – Waxahachie, Texas
• Stat Leaders:
  • Points: Shy Christopher (225, 17.3 ppg), Jaci Littell (191, 15.9 ppg), Whitney Outon (140, 10.8 ppg)
  • FG% (Min. 3 FGM/G): Whitney Outon (53-114, 46.5%), Shy Christopher (79-176, 44.9%), Jaci Littell (55-148, 37.2%)
  • 3FG% (Min. 1 3FGM/G): Jaci Littell (33-76, 43.4%), Whitney Outon (16-41, 39.0%), Kyleigh Leverich (19-53, 35.8%)
  • FT% (Min. 2 FTM/G): Jaci Littell (48-57, 84.2%), Shy Christopher (59-84, 70.2%)
  • Reb: Whitney Outon (105, 8.1 rpg), Shy Christopher (68, 5.2 rpg), Sydney Wycoff (67, 5.2 rpg)
  • Assists: Sydney Wycoff (38, 2.9 apg), Kyleigh Leverich (36, 2.8 apg), Shy Christopher (31, 2.4 apg)
  • Steals: Jaci Littell (19, 1.6 spg), Sydney Wycoff (16, 1.2 spg), Shy Christopher (13, 1.0 spg)
  • Blocks: Whitney Outon (17, 1.3 bpg), Ashley Hopper (10, 0.8 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • After suffering a tough 82-74 loss at Texas Wesleyan on Jan. 2, Mid-America Christian bounced back in a big way later in the week as the Evangels pulled away in the third and fourth quarter for an 89-70 win over UNT-Dallas inside the Gaulke Activity Center on Jan. 5 before cruising to a 100-65 victory at Southwestern Assemblies of God on Jan. 7.
  • Putting together a stellar week offensively for MACU, junior guard Jaci Littell was named both the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) and National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Player of the Week. Over the three-game slate, Littell averaged 27.0 points per game on a 46 percent shooting clip, which included going 14-of-27 (51.9 percent) from three-point range as well as converting 21-of-24 (87.5 percent) from the charity stripe.
  • A big reason for MACU's success in the last two games was getting back to getting on the glass. After getting outrebounded 43-28 to the Lady Rams last Monday, the Evangels dominated both UNT-Dallas and SAGU with 52-34 and 43-28 rebounding margins in the two victories. The Evangels currently lead the SAC and are 17^th in the NAIA in total rebounding at 44.5 rpg while boasting the third-best rebounding margin in the league at 6.5.
  • The Evangels also did a better job of taking care of the basketball in the last two games. After posting just two games with fewer than 15 turnovers through the first 11 competed contests of the season, MACU committed just 14 giveaways in each of the last two games.

SCOUTING REPORT
John Brown (Ark.)

• Record: 11-4 (5-4 SAC)
• Last Game: Won at Oklahoma Panhandle State – 63-47 – Jan. 7, 2023 – Goodwell, Okla.
• Series vs. MACU (2006-): JBU leads 18-15
• Last Game vs. MACU: JBU won 75-58 – Feb. 12, 2022 – Siloam Springs, Ark.
• Players to Watch:
  • Tarrah Stephens – SR – F
    • 281 Points (18.7 ppg), 106-200 FG (53.0%), 64-82 FT (78.0%), 110 Reb (7.3 rpg), 27 Assists (1.8 apg), 24 Steals (1.6 spg), 15 Blocks (1.0 bpg)
  • Emily Sanders – SO – G
    • 160 Points (10.7 ppg), 61-121 FG (50.4%), 32-75 3FG (42.7%), 81 Reb (5.4 rpg), 39 Assists (2.6 apg), 20 Steals (1.3 spg)
  • Natalie Smith – JR – G
    • 132 Points (8.8 ppg), 47-133 FG (35.3%), 29-89 3FG (32.6%), 48 Reb (3.2 rpg), 50 Assists (3.3 apg), 20 Steals (1.3 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • John Brown is off to a strong start in 2023 as the Golden Eagles boasted a pair of road wins last week, topping Wayland Baptist (Texas) 68-61 on Jan. 5 before coming away with a 63-47 win at Oklahoma Panhandle State on Jan. 7.
  • The matchup with MACU will feature the three top three-point shooters in the SAC as senior guard Maci Mains is the league's best sharp shooter by knocking down 20-of-45 (44.4 percent) from downtown while Emily Sanders boasts the third-best rate at 32-for-75 (42.7 percent). Overall, JBU and MACU possess five of the top nine three-point shooters in the conference.
  • Overall, the Golden Eagles are the best shooting team in the SAC, boasting league-best averages in field goal percentage (44.4), three-point percentage (35.7) and free throw percentage (76.9). JBU also does an excellent job of taking care of the basketball as it is giving away a league-low 13.7 turnovers per game.
  • Mid-America Christian has fared well against John Brown in the recent series as the Evangels have won five of the last six meetings with the lone defeat coming in Siloam Springs last season. The last time the two team played inside the Gaulke Activity Center, MACU dominated in the first half, outscoring the Golden Eagles 53-30 through the first 20 minutes before holding off the JBU rally for an 88-71 win on Jan. 28, 2021. Last season's scheduled game at MACU was forfeited by the Golden Eagles due to a COVID-19 outbreak on the team.

Oklahoma City

• Record: 6-8 (3-6 SAC)
• Last Game: Lost at Wayland Baptist (Texas) – 80-66 – Jan. 7, 2023 – Plainview, Texas
• Series vs. MACU (2007-): OCU leads 30-3
• Last Game vs. MACU: MACU won 68-58 – Feb. 25, 2022 – Gaulke Activity Center (SAC Quarterfinal)
• Players to Watch:
  • Fiona Wilson – SR – F
    • 187 Points (13.4 ppg), 62-169 FG (36.7%), 27-83 3FG (32.5%), 36-51 FT (70.6%), 92 Reb (6.6 rpg), 22 Assists (1.6 apg), 23 Steals (1.6 spg)
  • Annila Dawn – SR – G
    • 180 Points (12.9 ppg), 57-156 FG (36.5%), 33-93 3FG (35.5 %), 33-45 FT (73.3%), 43 Reb (3.1 rpg), 45 Assists (3.2 apg), 24 Steals (1.7 spg)
  • Amaya Gordon – JR – G
    • 146 Points (10.4 ppg), 64-162 FG (39.5%), 18-32 FT (56.3%), 93 Reb (6.6 rpg), 36 Assists (2.6 apg), 21 Steals (1.5 spg), 11 Blocks (0.8 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • Oklahoma City split a pair of road games out west last week. After picking up a 79-67 win at Oklahoma Panhandle State on Jan. 5, the Stars dropped an 80-66 decision at Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Jan. 7.
  • OCU has struggled on the offensive end of the floor thus far in the 2022-23 campaign as the Stars currently rank as the eighth-best scoring offense in the SAC at 66.4 ppg and the ninth-best shooting offense in the conference at 39.0 percent. OCU is also one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the league, ranking 10^th with a 65.9 percent average.
  • The Stars possess three players that are averaging double-digits in scoring, led by senior forward Fiona Wilson, who is averaging 13.4 ppg on a 36.7 percent shooting clip with a 32.5 percent rate from three-point range.
  • Even though OCU has dominated the all-time series, Mid-America Christian not only won their first ever meeting against the Stars last season, but won all three of their matchups. The last time the two teams squared off came in the SAC Quarterfinal as MACU overcame a 34-31 halftime deficit before pulling away in the fourth quarter with the 68-58 win on Feb. 25, 2022.
  • The game was moved to Redlands Community College due to floor damage at Abe Lemons Arena from a water main break just before the Christmas break.