OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 7, 2018) – Last season, there was little doubt Oklahoma Christian wanted scorer extraordinaire Addy Clift to have the basketball in her hands. Coach Stephanie Findley and her staff schemed ways to make that happen, because it gave the Lady Eagles – who had five freshmen in their rotation – their best chance of winning.

This season, the dynamic has changed. Clift is back and so are four of those freshmen and four other players who saw significant action last season. But instead of making her team's offensive system more complex, Findley has opted to go the opposite direction in an attempt to both open up the floor for Clift and provide more opportunities for her now-more-experienced teammates.

That ongoing process will continue Friday, when the Lady Eagles open their season against Midwestern State (Texas) in the Heartland-Lone Star Challenge in Wichita, Kan.

"People really chase (Clift) around and deny her the ball," Findley said. "They'll double-team her once she gets it – box-and-one, triangle-and-two (defenses), whatever you can think of. What I've tried to do so far this year is simplify things. We're not running as much specific stuff. We're just trying to play with good spacing and when you draw people to you, pitch to the open guy and try to get the good open shots and try to work the inside a little bit.

"We've tried to simplify offense to eliminate thinking too much and running something structured that people can take away from you. We're just trying to play a little freer. The (scouting report) will say that if you stop (Clift), you stop them, but I don't think that's the case."

With Clift, OC has one of the nation's top offensive weapons. The senior guard from Kiowa led the South Central Region and finished ninth in NCAA Division II in scoring last season at 21.7 points per game – the fourth-best single-season average in OC history – and earned All-America honorable mention recognition in the process. She's on pace to become the Heartland Conference's leading career scorer and should shatter both the league and OC records for career 3-pointers.

Clift twice scored at least 40 points in a game and closed last season with 160 points in her final five games, three of which came against the Heartland's top two finishers. She's capable of beating opponents with her long-range 3-pointers or by driving and getting to the free-throw line, where she shot 82.2 percent last season.

But she's far from the only threat in OC's backcourt.

Speedy sophomore point guard Maddison Collyer blossomed into one of the Heartland's best at her position by the end of last season, averaging 9.4 points and 4.5 assists per game. Her classmates, sharpshooter Ali Christie and lengthy defender Tyra Peck, saw significant playing time last season and also will play key roles in the backcourt – and perhaps the frontcourt, too – in 2018-19.

Junior Megan Shelton also has made a big leap, Findley said, and provides a steady hand in the backcourt who's capable of handling either guard position. She and Peck each are capable of shutting down an opponent's top offensive option.

Off the bench, Findley also has good backcourt options. Transfer Connor Atkinson brings collegiate experience from her time at Hesston (Kan.) College – where she was that school's career leader in 3-pointers – while freshman Shelby Sanderson has intrigued OC's coaches from the time she first showed up at an OC Cage Camp. Sophomores Kenna Kellam and Rumer Howell and freshman Crystal Bell all could earn playing time and provide quality depth.

In the frontcourt, Peck and Christie and long, fast freshman Kendra Levings (also a strong defender) are all capable wing players and Shelton could see time there, too, when the Lady Eagles use a three-guard lineup.

Sophomore forward Katie Mayo earned All-Heartland honorable mention last season after averaging 11.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, and should only improve as her ability to score from unusual angles near the basket often can befuddle defenders. Senior forward Hannah Bentsen (4.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg) is among the team's best passers and can step out with confidence beyond the 3-point line.

Christie also has seen time at power forward during the preseason and she, Peck and Levings also could play there, especially if Findley wants to use to a faster lineup.

For the first time in many a season, the Lady Eagles have a pair of legitimate centers in 6-foot-2 junior Carolyne Lawley (5.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and 6-foot-1 freshman Kendall Blackburn. Blackburn is in the mold of former OC center Hope Dawkins, whose exquisite defensive timing let her excel as a shot-blocker. She and Lawley, along with Levings and Mayo, figure to make life difficult for opponents who try to drive to the basket.

Sophomore Tiara Bradshaw now has a season under her belt and knows Findley's system and freshmen Brennley Cloyd and Bailey Stafford should provide outstanding depth inside for the Lady Eagles.

Findley once again has built a challenging schedule for her team. The Lady Eagles will open with seven straight games away from home, including at No. 13-ranked Southwestern Oklahoma State and against No. 24 Angelo State (Texas). OC later will host Southwestern before delving into conference play, during which a pair of games against No. 3 Lubbock Christian (Texas) await.

The good news is that (outside of Lubbock Christian) the Heartland appears to be wide-open and OC is as capable as anyone of a high finish.

"It's tough at first, but by the end, you've learned a lot and it makes you better than playing a bunch of not-very-tough games," Findley said. "Those are the kind of teams you'll play if you make the postseason so you might as well play them early. Lubbock stands out (in conference) but it's hard to know what everyone else has."