OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU Women's Basketball team will open its 2024-25 season with a high-profile contest on Saturday as the Evangels host last year's NAIA National Runner-Up No. 2 Providence (Mont.) for 2 p.m. tip-off inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
 
SEASON REPORT

• 2023-24 Record: 22-9 (15-7 SAC)
• Last Game: Lost vs. (RV) Briar Cliff (Iowa) – 81-67 – Mar. 15, 2024 – Wichita, Kan. (NAIA Tournament – 1^st Round)
• Top Returners:
  • Shy Christopher – R-SR – G
    • 604 Points (19.5 ppg), 226-456 FG (49.6%), 131-180 FT (72.8%), 173 Reb (5.6 rpg), 77 Assists (2.5 apg), 40 Steals (1.3 spg)
    • All-SAC First Team
  • Kylee Scheer – SR – G
    • 348 Points (11.2 ppg), 123-272 FG (45.2%), 54-143 3FG (37.8%), 48-59 FT (81.4%), 189 Reb (6.1 rpg), 73 Assists (2.4 apg), 49 Steals (1.6 spg)
    • All-SAC Honorable Mention
  • Alexis Borgstadt – SR – F
    • 220 Points (7.3 ppg), 76-176 FG (43.2%), 52-71 FT (73.2%), 94 Reb (3.1 rpg)
• Top Newcomers:
  • Harley Harbour – JR – F – Harding (Ark.)
    • 2022-24 @ Harding - 255 Points (4.3 ppg), 82-202 FG (40.6%), 84-139 FT (60.4%), 247 Reb (4.1 rpg), 60 Assists (1.0 apg)
  • Mary Nyakundi – GR – G – Texas Wesleyan
    • 2021-24 @ Texas Wesleyan – 659 Points (7.4 ppg), 198-598 FG (33.1%), 69-252 3FG (27.4%), 194-232 FT (83.6%), 217 Reb (2.4 rpg), 139 Assists (1.6 apg)
  • Talayah Thomas – JR – G – NW Oklahoma State
    • 2022-24 @ NW Oklahoma State – 230 Points (5.5 ppg), 70-219 FG (32.0%), 72-90 FT (80.0%), 102 Reb (2.4 rpg), 49 Assists (1.2 apg), 59 Steals (1.4 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian is coming off another highly successful season under head coach Hannah Moeller, who is entering her ninth season at the helm of the Evangels' women's basketball program. During the 2023-24 campaign, MACU was able to bounce back from a rough midseason slump where it lost five of six, closing out the regular season with an 11-game win streak before suffering a loss at eventual undefeated Sooner Athletic Conference champion No. 13 John Brown.
  • The Evangels return arguably one of the best players in the conference in redshirt senior guard Shy Christopher. In her two seasons at MACU, the Jacksonville, Arkansas product has put up unprecedented scoring numbers, scoring the second-most career points (1112) in the NAIA Era (2007-present) and the two-time All-SAC First Team performer also currently holds the highest per game scoring average (18.8).
  • Kylee Scheer is another massive returner for the Evangels for the 2024-25 season. Earning All-SAC Honorable Mention last season, Scheer averaged 11.2 ppg while being the team's most prolific rebounder (189, 6.1 rpg) and also led the team in steals (49, 1.6 spg).
  • The Evangels bring in a strong class of newcomers that includes four NCAA D-II transfers as well as a highly experienced grad transfer with a strong familiarity with playing in the SAC. Junior forward Harley Harbour is expected to make a massive impact as the Harding transfer helped guide the Bisons to a 51-13 record in her two seasons with the Great American Conference powerhouse program as well as an NCAA D-II Tournament appearance. Meanwhile, Texas Wesleyan transfer Mary Nyakundi is also hoping to give some strong, experienced depth to MACU's backcourt after being a key piece of the Lady Rams' SAC Championship team in 2022-23 and was one of TXWES' top performers last season.

SCOUTING REPORT
Providence (Mont.)

• Record: 0-1
• Last Game: Lost at Science & Arts – 65-61 (OT) – Oct. 31, 2024 – Chickasha, Okla.
• Series vs MACU: First Meeting
• Last Game vs MACU: N/A
• Series Streak: N/A
• Players to Watch:
  • Keanna Salave'a – SO – F
    • 17 Points (17.0 ppg), 7-17 FG (41.2%), 3-9 3FG (33.3%), 11 Reb (11.0 rpg), 3 Assists (3.0 apg), 3 Blocks (3.0 bpg), 2 Steals (2.0 spg)
  • Monique Carter – SO – G
    • 15 Points (15.0 ppg), 4-8 FG (50.0%), 3-4 3FG (75.0%), 4-6 FT (66.7%), 9 Reb (9.0 rpg), 4 Assists (4.0 apg)
  • Ainsley Thurber – JR – F
    • 11 Points (11.0 ppg), 4-10 FG (40.0%), 2-3 3FG (66.7%), 5 Reb (5.0 rpg), 2 Steals (2.0 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • Providence is coming off one of its most successful seasons in program history in 2023-24 as the Argos made an incredible run through the NAIA Tournament, advancing all the way to the Championship game before falling to Dordt (Iowa) 57-53 in the title tilt. Overall, UP finished the year with an overall record of 27-9.
  • The Argos opened their season against another SAC foe in Science & Arts inside the Drover Fieldhouse on Thursday night. After leading 46-35 after the third quarter, the Drovers rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to take a four-point lead with less than a minute to go. However, the Argos surged back by scoring a bucket, forcing a USAO turnover and then burying a pair of free throws to tie it before coming up with another defensive stop to force overtime. In the extra session, the USAO offense continued to stay hot, outscoring UP 13-9 to hand the Argos a tough 65-61 season-opening defeat.
  • While the Argos lost their leading scorer in Ashlee Maldonado last season, sophomore forward Keanna Salave'a is expected to once again be a big part of the Providence offense and rebounding. After being the team's second-leading scorer (12.7 ppg) and leading rebounder (10.6 rpg), Salave'a opened the season with another double-double against the Drovers with a team-high 17 points and 11 boards. Sophomore guard Monique Carter is another strong returner, scoring 15 points on a blistering 50 percent from the field and 3-for-4 from three to go with nine boards and four assists against USAO.
  • Mid-America Christian and Providence will be facing off for the first time in the two programs' respective histories.