Box Score AUSTIN, Texas (Dec. 19, 2015) – Oklahoma Christian's women's basketball season appears to be turning the corner, and the Lady Eagles are doing it on the road.
Sydney Hill had 19 points and seven assists and OC won its second straight road game, opening up Heartland Conference play with a steady 83-76 decision over St. Edward's (Texas) on Saturday afternoon at the Recreation and Convocation Center.
OC (4-7, 1-0 Heartland) won for the second straight time on the Hilltoppers' home court (having also prevailed there last season) and maintained the momentum generated by a 15-point win at archrival Southern Nazarene on Dec. 8 – quite a feat after an 11-day layoff.
OC led St. Edward's (3-7, 1-1) most of the way after limiting the Hilltoppers to only four points in the first quarter, but St. Edward's – coming off a win two days earlier over a strong Newman (Kan.) squad – stayed within striking distance throughout.
That said, when St. Edward's made a run, OC always had an answer.
St. Edward's pulled within four points at 52-48 on a layup by Khiani Clark with 8:57 left. But Hill answered with consecutive layups, and freshman
Addy Clift knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to push the Lady Eagles' lead to 62-48 with 7:24 left.
The Hilltoppers made one more push, cutting the OC lead to 66-61 on a layup by Bailey Hill with 3:09 left.
McKenzie Stanford missed a jumper for OC at the other end, but
Sydney Hill rebounded and fed
Sarah Parker for a 3-pointer.
Sydney Hill followed with a 3-pointer of her own with 2:11 left to put OC up 72-61 and essentially seal the win.
St. Edward's did come within 79-73 on a basket by Bailey Hill with 30 seconds left, but the Hilltoppers' Essence Sauls was called for a technical foul and Parker hit both free throws, followed by two more free throws two seconds later. It was the Hilltoppers' second technical of the game, as Bailey Hill received one in the first half.
Clift and Parker each scored 14 points for the Lady Eagles – Clift going 4-of-9 from 3-point range, Parker finishing 9-of-10 from the free-throw line that was part of a 24-of-27 effort by OC. Stanford had eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Bailey Hill and Shakera Barnes each scored a season-high 20 points for St. Edward's, while Clark had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
OC will play an exhibition game at NCAA Division I Wichita State on Dec. 29 and will host Heartland rival Texas A&M International on Dec. 31.
