OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (Dec. 29, 2010) – The Oklahoma Christian women's basketball team rallied together in the second half to come out on top 70-67 in a battle against Avila University (Mo.) on Wednesday in the Eagles' Nest.
The Avila women grabbed the lead first and created a five-point deficit for the Lady Eagles just minutes into the game. OC's Carli Covalt netted a basket minutes later to give the Lady Eagles a one-point lead before they yielded a 15-4 run to the AU women and trailed by 10 with 8:48 left to play in the half.
The Lady Eagles retaliated, however, with a run of their own to again take a one-point lead after going 13-2 against the AU women with 5:51 still to play.
Despite taking the lead, the Lady Eagles gave up eight consecutive points and were unable to recover the gap before the half. The OC women headed to the locker room at an eight-point deficit at 37-29.
Into the second period, the Lady Eagles continued to struggle against the AU women as Avila increased their lead to 13 points in the first three minutes of the half.
With 16:02 still left in regulation, the Lady Eagles trailed 50-37 before putting up 11 unanswered points to close the gap to just two with 11:20 on the clock. After giving up two baskets, the OC women tied things back up at 55-55 when Katy O'Steen netted her second free throw.
In the minutes shortly thereafter, four ties and five lead changes occurred as the two teams battled for the win.
With 2:13 left to play, Avila tied the game up at 64-64 before the Lady Eagles gained the lead and held it. O'Steen, Covalt, and Ayanna Jackson each made critical free throws to gain a six-point advantage with just seven second left on the clock.
A final three-point basket by the AU women left the Lady Eagles the victors at 70-67.
O'Steen and Jackson both registered 13-point games to lead OC's scoring, while O'Steen grabbed six rebounds and Jackson made three assists and two steals.
Covalt put up another 11 points for the Lady Eagles and Krista Stevens added another 10 in addition to making seven rebounds and three assists. Andee Wayne made an impact and added to the mix with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The OC women improve to a 7-5 record overall and will return to conference play along with the men on Saturday against rival Southern Nazarene University (Okla.). The women's game is schedule to tip off at 3 p.m. with the men's to follow at 5 p.m.
-OC-
