Women's Basketball 12/7/2011 3:48:00 PM

OCU vs. Mid-America Christian women's basketball preview

Emily Davis is shooting 47 percent from the floor this season.

6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8
Abe Lemons Arena

THE MATCHUP: Unbeaten Oklahoma City University continues Sooner Athletic Conference play at home against Mid-America 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: The Stars, ranked first in NAIA Division I, took down 16th-ranked Southern Nazarene 94-65 on Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena. OCU shot 63 percent from the floor while holding Southern Nazarene to 37 percent shooting to improve to 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in SAC play.
Desiree Jeffries led all scorers with 20 points on 10-for-10 shooting from the field. The junior out of Oklahoma City added to 10 rebounds to post a double-double. The 6-foot forward averages 9.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Lauren Gober added 17 points in the blowout. The 6-2 forward averages 12.3 points per game on 42 percent shooting from the floor and 39 percent from behind the 3-point line. The forward from Newcastle, Okla., also pulls down 5.1 rebounds per game.
Point guard Taylor Booze chipped in with 15 points and three assists against Southern Nazarene. The senior from Duncanville, Texas, averages 13.1 points and 4.6 assists per game and is ranked 13th in NAIA Division I in assists per game.
The Stars rank first in the nation in scoring margin at 45.1 points, and sit second in scoring with 96.1 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.
The Stars own a 9-0 record all-time against Mid-America Christian, and took the first meeting between the two this season. OCU flew past the Lady Evangels 115-52 on Nov. 22 at the Gaulke Activity Center.

ABOUT THE LADY EVANGELS: Mid-America Christian moved to 7-2 on the season and 1-2 in SAC play after defeating USAO 69-56 on the road.
Kourtni Williams posted a game-high 20 points and seven rebounds in the win over USAO. The junior forward averages 12.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Mid-America Christian.
Erica Jones added a season-high 18 points against USAO. The junior guard posts 10.7 points per game on 35.1 percent shooting from behind the 3-point line.
Parris Price chipped in with six points and six assists in the 69-56 win. The junior guard is second on the team in scoring with 10.8 points per game and is ranked 13th in NAIA Division I in total assists with 42 and assists per game with 4.6.
The Lady Evangels currently sit ninth in the nation in defensive rebounds per game with 30.8.

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.
Roman Owen leads Mid-America Christian's women's basketball and men's golf programs. He directed the Lady Evangels to a 16-17 record and a fifth-place finish in the National Christian College Athletic Association last season in his first season as a head coach. Owen, a former assistant for the OCU men's program, scored a program-high 2,802 points and garnered the Pete Maravich Award playing for Southwestern Christian. Oklahoma City Thunder fans will remember him for hitting a $20,000 half-court shot in between quarters of an NBA playoff game last season.

QUOTABLE: “We're trying to send a message. Not this year. This is our year. Our kids are mature. We have six kids who are seniors. They understand playing one game at a time.” – 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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