Box score

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 17, 2009) – Oklahoma Christian beat Science and Arts of Oklahoma 72-59 on Saturday night for the 475th win of head coach Stephanie Findley's 24-year career. The Lady Eagles never trailed in the game as they improved to 12-5 overall and 5-4 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.

OC had three players reach double figures led by Hillary Duncan's 15. She also led the Lady Eagles with eight rebounds and four steals.

Charlotte Heron had a box-score-filling night with 11 points (equaling a career high), five boards, three assists and three blocks. Haley Myers chipped in 10 points and four rebounds.

OC shot 49 percent (24-49) from the field and made 22-of-33 free throws in the win. The Lady Eagles took advantage of the Lady Drovers' charity by converting 19 USAO (9-8, 3-6 SAC) turnovers into 13 points.

It looked like things might get out of hand after OC went on a 14-0 run to start the game. The rally fueled the Lady Eagles to a 20-3 lead by the midway point of the first half. OC took its biggest lead on a Lindsey Gipson hoop that made it 24-5 with 8:21 left.

But USAO outscored OC 21-9 to close the half and it was a competitive 33-26 contest at the break. The Lady Drovers sliced the lead to six points twice in the final two minutes before settling on the seven-point halftime deficit.

Myers and Duncan were OC's top scorers at halftime with six points apiece. Duncan came away with five rebounds in the opening half. The Lady Eagles started the game shooting hot, but cooled to 41 percent (12-29) at intermission. USAO also made 41 percent (10-24) in the period.

Four quick points by Duncan made it a 37-26 OC edge after only a minute of second-half action. But USAO fired back nine unanswered, and it was a two-point game when Debora Dourado scored in the lane with 17:56 to play.

But the Lady Drovers never came closer as the Lady Eagles went on a 14-4 jaunt to go back up by double figures. The lead swelled to 51-39 when Duncan hit a bucket with 8:45 showing.

OC pushed its lead to as high as 19 points down the stretch to pick up its 11th win in the last 13 games against USAO. The Lady Eagles lead the all-time series 49-9.

The balanced-scoring night from OC included nine points from Lisa Chenoweth and eight apiece from Brittney Kennedy and Kailan DeCamp. USAO's Charite Lewis led all scorers with 18.

OC heads to West Texas for its next two games beginning with a Thursday-night contest at Wayland Baptist (Texas). The Lady Eagles then play Lubbock Christian next Saturday (Jan. 24).

-OC-