Women's Basketball 1/11/2012 3:29:00 PM

OCU vs. Lubbock Christian women's basketball preview

Cara Pugh contributes 3.4 points and 3.1 rebounds a game for the Stars.

6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12
Abe Lemons Arena

THE MATCHUP: No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City University collides with 12th-ranked Lubbock Christian (Texas) as teams unbeaten in Sooner Athletic Conference play meet.
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 scraped past John Brown (Ark.) 64-61 on Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena. Dietra Caldwell's layup with 23 seconds left created the final margin, while Sierra Shipley missed a 3-pointer with five seconds remaining as the Stars (14-0, 8-0 SAC) remained undefeated.
Caldwell, a 5-foot-8 senior from Missouri City, Texas, tallied 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Caldwell provides OCU with 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.07 steals per game.
Lauren Gober, a 6-2 junior from Newcastle, Okla., put together 11 points, four rebounds and two assists. Gober averages 11.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.29 steals a game this season. Nicollette Smith, a 6-2 senior from Tulsa, Okla., recorded 10 points and four rebounds. Smith puts up 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.57 steals a game.
OCU leads NAIA Division I with a 38.6-point average victory margin. The Stars rate in the top five in nine statistical categories. To see where OCU stacks up statistically in the NAIA, click here.
The Stars hold the No. 1 ranking in the latest NAIA Division I poll. 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 holds a 35-7 advantage in all time vs. Lubbock Christian. Lubbock Christian edged the Stars 68-67 on Jan. 27 in Lubbock, Texas. Emily Atkins' free throws at 11 seconds left brought Lubbock Christian the victory.

ABOUT THE LADY CHAPS: Lubbock Christian knocked off St. Gregory's 78-60 on Saturday in Lubbock, Texas. Lubbock Christian improved to 10-3, 7-0 in the league for its finest start in SAC play.
Kelsey Canavan, a 6-1 junior, matched her career high with 22 points while collecting eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Canavan turns in 14.3 points and 6.9 rebounds a game. Nicole Hampton, a 5-10 freshman, posted her third double-double in a row with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Hampton averages 12.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.77 steals.
Lubbock Christian is ranked 12th in the latest NAIA rankings. SAC coaches pegged Lubbock Christian to finish third in the SAC in the preseason.

ABOUT THE COACHES: Rob Edmisson has posted a stellar 191-30 record in his seventh season at OCU and a 493-149 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.
Steve Gomez has guided the Lubbock Christian program to unprecedented heights with eight consecutive trips to the NAIA Tournament, a national runner-up finish in 2006 and a 185-89 record for the most wins of any Lubbock Christian women's basketball coach.

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 will provide the play-by-play, while Eric Rodgers will give analysis. 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.

Print Friendly Version