Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 4, 2018) – A brief lapse for Oklahoma Christian spelled doom for the Lady Eagles on Thursday night against Arkansas-Fort Smith.
UAFS went on a 14-0 run during a span of less than four minutes at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarters and OC never recovered as the Lions pulled away for a 90-65 win in the Eagles' Nest.
OC (4-10, 0-2 Heartland Conference) was unable to generate the same momentum that it rode to wins in Washington state over No. 24/19-ranked Seattle Pacific (Wash.) and Saint Martin's (Wash.) before the holiday break, but the Lady Eagles were within four points of UAFS (9-6, 2-1) with 1:30 left in the third quarter.
But soon the Lions led by 18 and they kept stretching that lead until the end of the game.
"They just flat-out whipped us in the second half," OC coach
Stephanie Findley said. "I'm disappointed that we didn't show more fight. We did not shoot well and we let it trickle over to other areas. We need to find the offense that we had before the break."
From top to bottom, OC struggled with its shooting, finishing the game at just 38.1 percent from the field, while UAFS shot 51.5 percent. The Lions also posted a big 45-33 rebounding advantage.
Addy Clift scored 15 points (on 4-of-19 shooting) and
Maddison Collyer added 11, but they were the only Lady Eagles to reach double figures. Four Lions did so, led by Tayla Taylor, who had 19 points and 14 rebounds. Micayla Haynes – the daughter of OC long jump record-holder Beaul Haynes – added 17 points for UAFS.
UAFS led 43-33 at halftime, but OC cut that lead to 47-45 on a three-point play by
Tyra Peck with 4:47 left in the third quarter. The Lady Eagles stayed close at 55-51 after
Hannah Bentsen scored back-to-back baskets, the latter at the 1:30 mark of the third. But that was OC's last basket until the 7:25 mark of the fourth quarter, and by then OC was down 18 points.
Katie Mayo added nine points and five rebounds for OC.
OC will return to action on Saturday, hosting Heartland rival St. Edward's (Texas) at 1 p.m.
