Women's Basketball 1/25/2012 4:35:00 PM

OCU vs. Oklahoma Christian women's basketball preview

Philicia Kelly's 14 points helped OCU post a 48-14 advantage in points off the bench Saturday.

6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26
Abe Lemons Arena

THE MATCHUP: Oklahoma City University looks for a sweep of the season series against Backyard Brawl rival Oklahoma Christian.
Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students, while OCU students, faculty and staff are allowed into all regular-season OCU athletics events for free with their ID.

ABOUT THE STARS: OCU hammered USAO 108-42 on Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena. Seven reached double-digit scoring for the Stars (17-1, 11-1).
Lauren Gober, a 6-foot-2 junior from Newcastle, Okla., spearheaded OCU with 19 points and three rebounds. She shot 7-for-8 from the field and 4-for-5 from 3-point range. Gober records 12.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.39 steals a game.
Philicia Kelly, a 5-9 senior from Nassau, Bahamas, contributed 14 points, four rebounds and three steals off the bench. Kelly averages 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.33 steals per game. Taylor Booze, a 5-6 senior from Duncanville, Texas, produced 13 points, five rebounds, eight assists and six steals. Booze provides OCU 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.11 steals per game.
OCU leads NAIA Division I with a 36.4-point average victory margin. The Stars rate in the top five in 11 statistical categories. To see where OCU stacks up statistically in the NAIA, click here.
The Stars stood second in the latest NAIA Division I poll, appearing in the top 25 for the 146th time in a row. Five-time national champion OCU ranks among the leaders in wins in NAIA women's basketball over the past decade. OCU captured its 12th SAC regular-season title and reeled off its 13th consecutive 25-win season in 2010-11. The Stars have been favored to win the SAC championship in the preseason by league coaches.
OCU has gone 46-19 against Oklahoma Christian over the years. The Stars thumped Oklahoma Christian 88-59 on Dec. 31 at the Eagles Nest. Nicollette Smith scored a team-high 21 points off the bench.

ABOUT THE LADY EAGLES: Oklahoma Baptist overcame an eight-point deficit to defeat Oklahoma Christian 84-68 on Saturday in Shawnee, Okla. Oklahoma Christian (7-12, 2-10 SAC) dropped its sixth consecutive contest.
Katy Clift, a 5-6 senior, led Oklahoma Christian with 20 points and four steals while shooting 13-for-13 from the free-throw line. Clift compiles 15.3 points, 2.1 assists and 1.68 steals a game. Katy O'Steen, a 6-1 junior, had 17 points, three rebounds and three assists. Hampton averages 14.2 points and 5.6 rebounds.
SAC coaches expected Oklahoma Christian to finish eighth in the SAC before the season.

ABOUT THE COACHES: Rob Edmisson has posted a stellar 194-31 record in his seventh season at OCU and a 496-150 record overall in his 22nd season as a head coach. Edmisson, a two-time SAC coach of the year, has led the Stars to four SAC regular-season championships and four SAC Tournament titles. Edmisson coached the only player drafted into the WNBA from OCU, Mariam Sy, as well as six other Stars who have turned professional. He won 192 games at Hutchinson (Kan.) and 110 as a high-school coach in Kansas.
Stephanie Findley has directed Oklahoma Christian to a 524-333 record in her 27th season coaching her alma mater. Her coaching protégés include Cal State Los Angeles coach Janell Jones, who led OCU to three national titles, and Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale.

FOLLOW THE STARS: Fans can keep up on the latest on OCU athletics through several ways.
Become a fan of the Oklahoma City University Stars on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com/ocustars.
Become a follower of the OCU Stars on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ocustars.
Check out video of the Stars in action at www.youtube.com/ocustars.
Be sure to catch the OCU Athletics Update video program weekly on ocusports.com, the OCU YouTube Channel or on OCU Athletics' Facebook page. Click here to see the latest edition.
Know when the game is happening by calling the OCU athletics hotline at (405) 208-5400. Get conference scores and highlights by calling the SAC Hotline at (405) 878-2110.

ON THE AIR: OCU athletics has partnered with Stretch Internet to provide live and on-demand audio, stats and video of the Stars' games. Greg Merick provides the voice of the Stars, while Eric Rodgers serves as analyst. To access the live audio, stats or video for the game, visit OCU's Stretch portal by clicking here.
The live audio and stats will be provided free of charge, while the cost to see the video will be $6.95. A women's basketball season pass that allows you to see all the Stars' 2011-12 home games costs $29.95, while an 2011-12 all-sports pass costs $79.95.

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