The women’s basketball team won its sixth consecutive Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season championship, and has moved on to the conference championship games.
The regular season championship game ended with an 87-44 victory over Southwestern Assemblies of God on Feb. 26 at the Sheaffer Full Life Center in Waxahachie, Texas.
The Stars, ranked second in NAIA Division I, won their 16th SAC regular-season crown, and improved to 21-2, 16-1 in conference.
Senior Center Marisha Wallace was a standout player of the game, Coach Latricia Trammell said. She led the team with her fifth double-double by scoring a season-best 24 points to go with 10 rebounds.
“Just having all our teammates play for each other in order for us to win was a really great feeling,” Wallace said.
Two other seniors stood out as well, Trammell said. Senior Guard Rateska Brown posted 22 points, three steals and six 3-pointers. Senior Center Ouleymatou Coulibaly posted 12 points and 15 rebounds.
“We had good solid consistency across the board,” Trammell said.
OCU scored 34 points off 27 Southwestern Assemblies turnovers. The Stars recorded a 57.9 percent field-goal percentage overall and upped that figure to 63 percent in the second period. OCU limited Southwestern Assemblies to 25.9 percent shooting from the field and 19.2 percent second-half shooting.
Brown succeeded in two treys plus a jumper as the Stars built an early 12-0 advantage with 17:18 to go in the first half. Southwestern Assemblies missed its first four shot attempts from the floor and committed four turnovers during that time.
Senior Guard Yvonte Neal had four points during the Stars’ 8-0 run that produced a 34-19 lead with 4:44 remaining in the first. Neal capped the lead with a pair of free throws.
Sophomore Guard Albany Anderson pushed OCU’s margin to 30 points with her jumper in the lane that gave the Stars a 61-31 lead at the 15:11 mark of the second.
Brown said she is honored to win this championship title.
“Keeping the school tradition going says a lot about who we are as a team,” she said. “I’m truly proud to be a part of a great team and coaching staff on this incredible journey.”
Trammell said she is proud of her team, but knows they still have work to do.
“It’s been a really great experience to meet one of our championship goals,” Trammell said. “We’re not finished yet, now it’s time to try to obtain another one of our championship goals for our team.”
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