OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU women's basketball team will close out the regular season this weekend as the Evangels host Oklahoma City inside the Gaulke Activity Center tonight at 6 p.m. before heading to Siloam Springs, Arkansas on Saturday to battle SAC Champion No.13 John Brown at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
 
SEASON REPORT

• Record: 20-6 (14-6 SAC)
• Last Game: Won vs. UNT Dallas – 97-74 – Feb. 17, 2024 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Stat Leaders:
  • Points: Shy Christopher (493, 19.0 ppg), Jaci Calavan (440, 16.9 ppg), Kylee Scheer (283, 10.9 ppg)
  • Field Goal Percentage (%, M-A): Ashley Hopper (53.8, 56-104), Shy Christopher (49.6, 185-373), Kylee Scheer (44.6, 100-224)
  • 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (%, M-A): Jaci Calavan (39.9, 59-148), Kylee Scheer (39.0, 46-118), Karley Miller (33.7, 28-83)
  • Free Throw Percentage (%, M-A): Jaci Calavan (92.1, 105-114), Kylee Scheer (82.2, 37-45), Mia Smith (75.0, 36-48)
  • Rebounds: Kylee Scheer (163, 6.3 rpg), Jaci Calavan (159, 6.1 rpg), Shy Christopher (146, 5.6 rpg)
  • Assists: Mia Smith (77, 3.0 apg), Shy Christopher (68, 2.6 apg), Kylee Scheer (63, 2.4 apg)
  • Steals: Kylee Scheer (43, 1.7 spg), Shy Christopher (32, 1.2 spg), Jaci Calavan (27, 1.0 spg)
  • Blocks: Karley Miller (15, 0.6 bpg), Sydney Savage (14, 0.5 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian extended its win streak to 10 in its Senior Day game against UNT Dallas as the Evangels cruised to a 97-74 victory inside the Gaulke Activity Center on Feb. 17.
  • In that victory, redshirt junior guard Shy Christopher scored her 1000^th career point in her two-year career with the Evangels, making her just the fourth MACU player to reach the 1000-point milestone during the NAIA Era (2007-present). Christopher also comes into the week needing just 15 points to eclipse Sarai Rodriguez (2015-17) for third on the career scoring list in the NAIA Era.
  • Even though most of the MACU offense has run through its star tandem of Christopher and Jaci Calavan, the Evangels showed tremendous offensive balance in the win over the Trailblazers as five players scored in double-figures and seven players finished with at least eight points.
  • One of the players that came up big for MACU in its win against UNTD was senior forward Karley Miller. The Hinton, Oklahoma product recorded her second double-double in the last three games, tallying 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting, going 4-for-8 from three to go with 10 boards.

SCOUTING REPORT
Oklahoma City

• Record: 6-20 (5-15 SAC)
• Last Game: Lost vs. Science & Arts (Okla.) – 94-56 – Feb. 17, 2024 – Oklahoma City
• Series vs MACU (2007-): OCU leads 33-3
• Last Game vs MACU: OCU won 75-69 – Jan. 11, 2024 – Oklahoma City (Abe Lemons Arena)
• Series Streak: OCU won 3
• Players to Watch:
  • Amaya Gordon – SR – G
    • 373 Points (15.5 ppg), 155-327 FG (47.4%), 69-83 FT (75.9%), 217 Reb (9.0 rpg), 49 Assists (2.0 apg), 39 Steals (1.6 spg), 31 Blocks (1.3 bpg)
  • Ray Osborn – SR – G
    • 244 Points (10.6 ppg), 92-251 FG (36.7%), 59-79 FT (74.7%), 80 Reb (3.5 rpg), 45 Assists (2.0 apg)
  • Jazmin Adams – FR – F
    • 160 Points (9.4 ppg), 67-131 FG (51.1%), 21-32 FT (65.6), 127 Reb (7.5 rpg)
• Team Notes:
  • Ever since getting a 75-69 win over MACU back on Jan. 11, Oklahoma City has been a team laboring from injuries as the Stars have lost 11 of their 12 games, the latest coming in a 94-56 home defeat to Science & Arts on Saturday.
  • The Stars rank near the bottom of the conference in both offensive and defensive efficiency as OCU ranks ninth in scoring offense (60.0 ppg) as well as ninth in scoring defense (65.3 ppg). Oklahoma City has been especially beleaguered from three-point arc, ranking dead last in the SAC at 21.2 percent.
  • Despite OCU's offensive struggles, the Evangels will need to key on shutting down senior guard Amaya Gordon. Coming into the contest, Gordon is averaging 15.5 ppg on a solid 47.4 percent shooting clip and is nearly averaging a double-double at 9.0 rpg.
  • Mid-America Christian will be seeking its first win against OCU since the 2021-22 season as the Stars have taken three-straight in the series. In their previous meeting at Oklahoma City on Jan. 11, the Evangels were able to establish an early lead, but OCU managed to pull in-front in the second half and hold off MACU for the 75-69 win.

No. 13 John Brown (Ark.)

• Record: 23-3 (20-0 SAC)
• Last Game: Won vs. Texas Wesleyan – 56-43 – Feb. 17, 2024 – Siloam Springs, Ark.
• Series vs MACU (2006-): JBU leads 19-17
• Last Game vs MACU: JBU won 70-62 – Jan. 13, 2024 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Series Streak: JBU won 1
• Players to Watch:
  • Tarrah Stephens – GR – F
    • 377 Points (15.7 ppg), 131-295 FG (44.4%), 95-118 FT (80.5%), 170 Reb (7.1 rpg), 39 Assists (1.6 apg), 27 Steals (1.1 spg), 29 Blocks (1.2 bpg)
  • Natalie Smith – SR – G
    • 337 Points (13.0 ppg), 113-320 FG (35.3%), 78-230 3FG (33.9%), 33-38 FT (86.8%), 101 Reb (3.9 rpg), 86 Assists (3.3 apg)
  • Emily Sanders – JR – G
    • 243 Points (10.6 ppg), 81-167 FG (48.5%), 52-105 3FG (49.5%), 29-31 FT (93.5%), 100 Reb (4.3 rpg), 61 Assists (2.7 apg), 25 Steals (1.1 spg), 14 Blocks (0.6 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • John Brown locked up the Sooner Athletic Conference title last week with a close 69-66 win at Science & Arts on Jan. 15 before returning home to defeat Texas Wesleyan in a defensively dominant 56-43 victory on Saturday.
  • Even though the Golden Eagles rank just seventh in the SAC in scoring offense (65.1 ppg), where JBU prides itself is on the defense end. The Golden Eagles lead the conference and rank fourth in the entire NAIA in scoring defense (51.0 ppg), holding their opposition to a league-low 33.6 percent shooting from the field while posting the second-lowest three-point percentage defense (26.4)
  • JBU features a relatively balanced offensive effort that is headlined by graduate student forward Tarrah Stephens. Entering their game against SCU tonight, Stephens is averaging 15.7 ppg on a solid 44.4 percent shooting percentage and takes advantage of her opportunities at the line, converting on 80.5 percent of her free throw attempts. The Golden Eagles also feature a pair of snipers from behind the arc in Natalie Smith and Emily Sanders. So far this season, Smith has made 78 threes on a 33.9 percent clip while Sanders has made her 52 threes on a league-best 49.5 percent rate.
  • The Evangels will be looking to get a little road revenge on John Brown this weekend as the two teams currently are boasting the biggest win streaks in the league. In their previous meeting inside the Gaulke Activity Center, the Golden Eagles manage to come away with the 70-62 road win.