Women's Basketball 1/23/2014 8:49:00 PM

OCU stomps Texas Wesleyan 96-61

Stars break single-game team record for 3-pointers, Pugh equals individual mark

Cara Pugh matched the eight 3-pointers Patricia Ordonez hit in the 1988 NAIA Division I women's basketball championship.

Box Score
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University trampled Texas Wesleyan 96-61 on Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena.
The Stars canned a single-game team program-record 20 3-pointers, while Cara Pugh tied the single-game individual mark with eight treys. OCU, ranked seventh in NAIA Division I women's basketball, moved to 11-2, 8-1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
OCU's Kayla MacKenzie, a senior from Peoria, Ariz., nailed seven 3s of her own and produced 29 points, six assists and two steals while hitting 7 of 12 shots from 3-point range. Pugh, a senior from Oklahoma City, rang up 24 points, six rebounds and two steals while nailing 8 of 15 3-point tries. Pugh shares the school record of eight 3-pointers with Patricia Ordonez, who hit eight on March 22, 1988 to lead OCU to its first NAIA Division I championship.
Ouleymatou Coulibaly, a junior from Bamako, Mali, West Africa, supplied the Stars with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Yvonte Neal, a junior from Spring Valley, Calif., chipped in 15 points, six rebounds and four assists. Neal shot 5-for-7 on 3-pointers.
OCU drained 20 of 35 3-point attempts. The Stars broke the previous record of 18 treys against Central Christian (Kan.) on Nov. 24, 2012 in Shawnee, Okla.
"It was an offensive explosion," OCU coach Latricia Trammell said. "It wasn't just one person. We moved the ball and shared it. The girls are excited about this win."
Pugh's previous career high had been three 3-pointers she hit twice in games this season. She surpassed her previous career best of 18 points vs. Baptist Bible (Mo.) on Nov. 13, 2010 at Abe Lemons Arena.
"Cara is a gym rat along with Autumn Lau," Trammell said. "When I hear the ball bouncing, it's one of them. I'm proud of her."
Markeisha Johnson, a sophomore from Mansura, La., contributed three points, 10 assists and three steals for OCU. The Stars dished out 25 assists.
"She does all the things the stat sheet doesn't show, but we notice," Trammell said. "She does what I call penny makers. Not everyone notices, but they make a difference in the game."
Neal connected on a triple that put OCU in front 82-53 at the 5:54 mark to equal the previous record. Pugh downed a trey for an 87-53 Stars cushion with 4:22 to go for the record breaker. MacKenzie hit OCU's 20th 3-pointer to balloon her team's lead to 90-55 with 3:36 left.
Autumn Huffman's layup provided the Stars their widest margin of the game at 37 points. OCU led 92-55 with 2:51 showing.
The Stars outscored Texas Wesleyan 20-5 in the first 3:46 of the second period. OCU nailed four treys during that span. MacKenzie dropped in two 3s sandwiched around a Neal trey to put the Stars in front 50-32 with 17:28 remaining. Huffman scored to put OCU ahead 55-35 with 16:14 left.
OCU used a 14-0 run to pull away from Texas Wesleyan in the first half. Pugh sank back-to-back treys, and McKenzie followed suit with her own 3-pointer to put the Stars ahead 30-19 with 6:48 left in the period. Coulibaly's basket and two free throws capped the run for a 34-19 OCU advantage.
The Stars travel to Chickasha, Okla., to meet USAO at 3 p.m. Saturday.

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