Image
OC Athletics
Eagle

Lady Eagles advance to NAIA Elite Eight

Lady Eagles advance to NAIA Elite Eight

JACKSON, Tenn. (March 19, 2010) – The Oklahoma Christian University Lady Eagles advanced to the NAIA Elite Eight for the third time in school history with a 62-52 victory over Westminster (Utah) Friday.

Oklahoma Christian (21-12) will play top-ranked defending national champion Union (Tenn.) at 6 p.m. Saturday. Click here or call 405.425.1900 to listen to the games live through OC’s Eagle Broadcasting. (The broadcast service is free, but standard phone charges apply). Click here for live game statistics and links to the live pay-per-view video broadcast through JumpTV ($9.95 per day).

Oklahoma Christian previously advanced to the national quarterfinals in 1986 and 2003 under current head coach Stephanie Findley, who earned her 497th career win Friday.

The Lady Eagles trailed 34-28 early in the second half before reeling off seven straight points to take a 35-34 lead. Kaitlyn Morris started the run with a three-pointer, followed by a Lindsay McCown free throw and Brittney Kennedy three-point play.

“I’m really proud of how we hung in there. I wish we didn’t dig those big holes and have to climb back out of them, but this has been a resilient group all year. We get down and we keep plugging away,” Findley said.

Westminster’s Keisha Catten’s trey put the Griffins ahead 37-35, but Lisa Chenoweth answered with a three-pointer of her own to give the Lady Eagles a 38-37 edge with 11:35 left.

OC never trailed again, going on a 10-0 run behind Chenoweth’s three, a Kennedy basket, a McCown free throw and four Roz Hamilton makes from the charity stripe.

McCown, who scored 24 points Friday after totaling 21 in OC’s first-round win over Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), helped the Lady Eagles take control down the stretch. The freshman scored 12 of OC’s last 17 points – including 10 in a row – as the Lady Eagles built a double-digit advantage.

“We were down, but when we gained the lead and took control, we just played relaxed,” McCown said.

Oklahoma Christian, which made 19-of-23 free throws in the game, led by as many as 13 points on the way to the 10-point win.

Kailan DeCamp scored all 11 of her points in the first half to help OC rally from seven points down to lead 26-25 at halftime. Kennedy totaled nine points and nine rebounds in the victory.

“It was just about taking open shots, keeping people going and keeping myself going so we’d have a chance,” DeCamp said. “It’s really exciting to get these wins, to see people step up and knock down shots. It’s exciting that we’re coming together and doing what we can do.”

Westminster, which came in as the NAIA’s top shooting team from the field and three-point range, finished 32 percent overall and 26 percent from behind the arc after a hot start. The Griffins, regular-season champions of the Frontier Conference, end the season with a 27-7 record.

“I knew our depth could wear them out. When you’re tired, those threes don’t go. That’s what I was counting on, and it worked,” Findley said. “I’m proud of how this team sticks together. They know their roles. They understand they’re a team and that’s the only way we’re going to win – as a team – not stars out there getting numbers.”

-OC-