Women's Basketball 12/16/2011 1:09:00 PM

OCU vs. Benedictine women's basketball preview

Taylor Booze is ranked 15th in NAIA Division I in assists per game with 4.7.

2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17
Abe Lemons Arena

THE MATCHUP: Oklahoma City University takes on Benedictine (Kan.) in a non-conference contest.
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: The Stars blew out Mid-America Christian 88-37 on Dec. 8 to move to 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in Sooner Athletic Conference play.
Senior Dietra Caldwell posted a game-high 16 points and five assists in the victory. Caldwell leads the team in scoring with 14.4 points per game. The guard from Missouri City, Texas, is currently ranked first in NAIA Division I in assist/turnover ratio at 3.8.
Lauren Gober, of Newcastle, Okla., added 15 points in the blowout. Gober averages 12.7 points per game while shooting 42 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range. The junior forward is currently ranked ninth in the nation in 3-point baskets made per game with 2.8.
Forward Philicia Kelly added 14 points off the bench for the Stars. Kelly averages 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. The senior from Nassau, Bahamas, scored 15 points against Peru State (Neb.) on Nov. 25 and 19 points in the season opener against St. Thomas (Texas) on Nov. 12.
OCU currently sits first in the nation in scoring margin at 46, and second in scoring with 95 points per game. To see where OCU stacks up statistically, click here.
The Stars are now first in the NAIA Division I rankings. 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 defeated Benedictine 77-66 in the only meeting between the two schools a season ago.

ABOUT THE LADY RAVENS: The Lady Ravens fell to Evangel (Mo.) 59-43 on Dec. 3 and play Oklahoma Baptist on Friday. Benedictine is currently 6-4 on the season and 1-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
Kelsey Anselmi led Benedictine with a season-high 13 points in the loss to Evangel. The junior guard averages 6.8 points and leads the team with 3.7 assists per game. Anselmi scored 12 points against Bethel (Kan.) on Nov. 15.
Katie Barr added 12 points and three rebounds against Evangel. Barr averages 7.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. The sophomore from Glendale, Ariz., also scored 12 points against Saint Mary's (Neb.) on Nov. 22.
Kelsey Wolfe posted 10 points and three assists in the 59-43 loss. The senior guard leads the team in scoring with 10.8 points per game. Wolfe ranks 23rd in the nation in 3-pointers made per game with 2.4.

ABOUT THE COACHES: Rob Edmisson has posted a stellar 183-30 record in his seventh season at OCU and a 485-149 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.
Chad Folsom is in his 11th year at Benedictine and has compiled a 214-111 record for the Ravens. Folsom sits as the winningest coach in Benedictine women's basketball history. In 2006, he guided the Lady Ravens to the NAIA Division II tournament quarterfinals.

QUOTABLE: “We're going to have to do a good job and stay focused and understand that this team's challenges are within ourselves. We are talented, and this team does work very hard, but the key for them to go as far as they want to go and reach their ultimate goal is to not rely on talent and be efficient in what we do.” – Edmisson

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 http://www.youtube.com/ocustars.
Be sure to catch the OCU Athletics Update video program weekly on ocusports.com, the OCU YouTube Channel or on the OCU Athletics' Facebook page. Click here to see the latest edition or see our video channel in the upper right-hand corner of our home page.
Know when the game is happening by calling the OCU athletics hotline at (405) 208-5400.

ON THE AIR: OCU athletics has partnered with Stretch internet to provide live and on-demand audio, stats and video of Stars' games. Greg Merick and Eric Rodgers will call the game. 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 men's basketball season pass that allows you to see all the Stars' 2011-12 home game cost $29.95, while a 2011-12 all-sports pass costs $79.95.

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