Box score
LUBBOCK, Texas (March 3, 2009) – Oklahoma Christian University fell 64-56 to Science and Arts (Okla.) in the first round of the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament Tuesday.
The loss, OC's 11th straight, ended the Lady Eagles' season at 13-18.
The game was tight throughout, with USAO taking its biggest lead at 40-31 with 16:00 left. But OC countered with an 11-0 run, highlighted by a Kailan DeCamp steal and basket, and consecutive three-pointers by Katy Clift and Devin Sewell.
USAO immediately tied it at 42-42 on an Ivaney Marquez basket, then took the lead for good on a trey by Sasha Ferguson.
The Lady Eagles stayed close, pulling within one on a Lindsey Gipson triple and a three-point play by Lisa Chenoweth. And when Chenoweth made two free throws with 1:17 to play, USAO clung to a 58-56 lead.
But Marquez was fouled following her own shot on the other end, hitting the free throws to make it 60-56. The Lady Eagles couldn't convert on their next two possessions, and USAO clinched the win at the foul line in the final seconds.
Early on, Oklahoma Christian jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind a basket by DeCamp and a pair of inside buckets by Brittney Kennedy.
After USAO rallied to tie it at 6-6, two Gipson three-pointers pushed the Lady Eagles to a 12-8 advantage.
The Lady Drovers took their first lead, 15-14, at the 11:55 mark on a Juliana Leite trey. Late in the half, five straight free throws by Marquez staked USAO to an eight-point lead before a DeCamp driving layup sent OC into the locker room down 33-27 at the break.
For the game, the Lady Eagles shot 39 percent to USAO's 42 percent. OC shot well from long distance, knocking down 5-of-11 three-pointers (46 percent), but lost the battle of the boards, 38-28.
Kennedy led OC with 14 points while DeCamp and Gipson scored 12 apiece. Marquez scored 21 and Lewis had 15 points and 11 rebounds for USAO (16-15), which moves on to play host Lubbock Christian (Texas) in Wednesday's quarterfinals.
"We played better, which allows us to go out on a good note and with a little better taste in our mouths," OC head coach Stephanie Findley said. "The problem all season is we can't get five people to play well in the same game. This will definitely motivate us this summer to hit the gym and get better for next season."
It was the final collegiate game for graduating seniors Jordan Findley, Lindsey Gipson, Charlotte Heron and Haley Myers. All four players earned multiple academic honors during their careers. Gipson was an All-Sooner Athletic Conference third-teamer as a junior.
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