Senior Katy Clift made three 3-pointers in OC's 63-43 win over USAO on Thursday night, giving her 208 for her career and moving her into second place on OC's career list for made 3-pointers.
OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 16, 2012) – Katy O'Steen had 20 points and eight rebounds and senior guard Katy Clift had 14 points and became Oklahoma Christian's No. 2 career 3-point shooter as the Lady Eagles routed USAO 63-43 on Thursday night on Senior Night in the Eagles' Nest.
OC (9-17, 4-15 Sooner Athletic Conference) won for the second time in three games and posted a season-best defensive effort by holding USAO (5-21, 2-17) to 43 points. OC avenged an earlier loss to the Drovers and extended USAO's 10-game losing streak.
Despite the win, OC was eliminated from conference-tournament contention, as John Brown (Ark.) beat Mid-America Christian. The top eight teams will make the tournament and John Brown, currently in eighth place, is four games ahead of OC with three to play.
Still, the win provided a feel-good moment for OC's four seniors – Clift, guards Tarynn Branscum and Jessica Findley and forward Hope Heinen, who all started and helped the Lady Eagles lead from start to finish.
OC limited USAO to 28.6-percent shooting (16 of 56). The Drovers went 3-of-19 from 3-point range (15.8 percent). The Lady Eagles shot 34.4 percent (22 of 64) and outrebounded USAO 49-34.
"I thought we really played well on defense," OC coach Stephanie Findley said. "We stuck to our game plan and rebounded the ball well. These girls are fighters and it all paid off when we finally started knocking down some threes in the second half."
Two baskets by O'Steen, sandwiched around a 3-pointer by Heinen – only the second of her career – staked OC to a 7-0 lead in the first three minutes. The closest USAO came was within 17-14 on a basket by Natalie Colton with three minutes left in the first half, but a three-point play by O'Steen gave OC a 24-18 lead at halftime.
OC opened the second half on a 9-2 run and went up 33-20 on another three-point play by O'Steen, who went 7-of-9 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. She also had three steals, as did Clift.
After a 3-pointer by USAO's Lauren Campo, Clift answered with a trey of her own, starting a 19-2 run by the Lady Eagles. Andee Wayne's basket with 9:42 left gave OC a 52-25 lead and the Drovers came no closer than 20 points the rest of the way.
Clift went 3-of-13 from 3-point range and her third trey gave her 208 for her career, moving her past Ali Griffin into second place in made 3-pointers in OC history. Katie Fariss sits atop that list, with 268 3-pointers from 2003 to 2007.
As for OC's other seniors, Heinen scored three points, Findley had three points (making a 3-pointer in the second half) and Branscum had four points and four assists. Logan McKee had eight rebounds, while Wayne and Roz Hamilton had seven each.
Tashina Ototivo led the Drovers with 13 points and seven rebounds, but no other USAO player scored in double figures. Colton finished with eight points, six rebounds and five steals.
OC will close the season with three road games – at Southern Nazarene on Saturday, at Lubbock Christian (Texas) next Thursday and at Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Feb. 25.
