Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 19, 2015) –
Addy Clift made her first career collegiate start a memorable one.
Oklahoma Christian's freshman guard scored 17 points, going 5-of-8 from 3-point range, and added six rebounds and two steals as the Lady Eagles rolled to an easy 88-51 win over NAIA foe Southwestern Christian on Tuesday night in the Eagles' Nest.
OC's inside players combined with Clift to form a figurative buzzsaw. Junior forward
Sarah Parker had 16 points and eight rebounds, and junior transfer center
Hannah Holasek – also making her first start for OC – added nine points, six rebounds and three assists. OC's other starting forward,
McKenzie Stanford, had 10 points and six rebounds.
Off the bench, sophomore forward
Hope Dawkins had five points, a career-high six rebounds and a career-high four blocked shots, while freshman forward
Hannah Bentsen added four points and three rebounds in only four minutes of playing time.
Thirteen of the 16 Lady Eagles who played scored. After three straight losses to open the season, it was a much-needed win, OC coach
Stephanie Findley said.
"We've been struggling a lot and not shooting the ball very well," Findley said. "We needed to come out and start with a bang and I think that's exactly what we did."
Clift, the younger sister of former OC standout Katy Clift (Fabrie), hit several of her 3-pointers from NBA range – nearly 24 feet away from the basket or further.
"Addy shot a good percentage. She wasn't nervous with her first start," Findley said. "We've seen that all preseason in practice and I hadn't given her the chance to start yet and do it. She had been kind of off-and-on in those first few games, but tonight she was ready for the start and came out hitting her shots. She's really one of the best 3-point shooters you're going to see."
OC (1-3) opened the game on a 25-2 run over the first nine minutes, effectively deciding the outcome before the first quarter ended. Clift swished a 3-pointer just 18 seconds into the game and hit two more during that opening spurt.
The Lady Eagles led 28-7 after the first quarter and 45-16 at halftime. OC pushed its lead to as many as 39 points in the third quarter, at 58-19 on yet another 3-pointer by Clift at the 7:40 mark. OC's lead never dipped below 33 points after that.
OC shot 27-of-78 from the field (34.6 percent) and 75 percent from the free-throw line (24 of 32) while outrebounding Southwestern Christian 68-38. OC finished just four rebounds shy of the single-game school record of 72, set in a win over Chaminade (Hawaii) on Nov. 29, 2013. Fourteen OC players grabbed at least one rebound.
Led by Dawkins, the Lady Eagles also had seven blocks – more than in any game last season.
"Hope is a good shot-blocker," Findley said. "That's one of the things I liked about her in high school. You saw that with her tonight. She was getting the timing down and swatting them out of there."
Maranda Janz scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Southwestern Christian, while Andi McGill and Grace Hadley scored 10 points each. Southwestern Christian counted the game as an exhibition contest, meaning its 2-4 season record did not change.
OC will play at NCAA Division II South Central Region power Cameron in Lawton on Saturday, in the same gym where 30 years ago they set the still-standing NAIA record for single-game field-goal percentage, shooting 79.6 percent (39 of 49). Then will come a trip west on Interstate 40 to Weatherford for a game at in-state rival Southwestern Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
"It's going to be two tough road games," Findley said. "Nothing is easy in Division II, that's for sure. You've got to earn all of them. We were just glad to have this chance to make some shots and maybe get back on track offensively as we head out on the road."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S25Q_v61BAs&feature=youtu.be
