SHAWNEE, Okla. ? Romana Vynuchalova recorded a season-high 23 points in Oklahoma City University?s 81-45 victory over St. Gregory?s on Monday at W.P. Wood Fieldhouse.
Vynuchalova, a 6-foot-4 junior from Bratislava, Slovakia, added a team-high eight rebounds, hitting 9 of 14 shots from the field. Zanita Johnson chipped in 14 points and seven assists for OCU.
The Stars, ranked 21st in NAIA Division I women?s basketball, went to 19-4, 8-4 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. St. Gregory?s dropped to 4-18, 2-9.
?Romana was really good in the second half,? OCU coach Rob Edmisson said. ?These were her two best back-to-back games since she?s been in Oklahoma City. That?s exciting.?
OCU benefited from an 18-0 run as St. Gregory?s went seven minutes without a point early in the second half. The Stars widened a 33-25 halftime lead to 52-29 with 13:11 left in the game.
Vynuchalova knocked in a layup off an assist from Chelsea Ledbetter to give OCU that lead. Allison Klick sank a 3-pointer for St. Gregory?s to break her team?s drought with 12:55 left.
St. Gregory?s committed 28 turnovers to OCU?s nine.
?We talked at halftime about energy,? Edmisson said. ?There would be an excitement hangover from Saturday. I didn?t think it would last the first half.
?I asked them if they were playing with the same energy they had Saturday. We also made an adjustment to our zone offense. It helped our rebounding and to stretch that zone defense of St. Gregory?s.?
The Stars face Southern Nazarene at 6 p.m. Thursday in Bethany, Okla.