OKLAHOMA CITY – No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City University's 63-52 victory over St. Gregory's gave Stars coach Rob Edmisson his 500th career win Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena.
Edmisson now has a 500-150 record in a 22-year career spent at OCU, Hutchinson (Kan.) and Ellinwood and Fairfield high schools in Kansas. OCU, top-ranked in NAIA Division I women's basketball, improved to 21-1, 15-1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
In seven years at OCU, Edmisson holds a 198-31 record with four SAC regular-season championships, four SAC Tournament titles, six national-tournament appearances and two NAIA Tournament semifinal finishes. Edmisson has been named league coach of the year twice.
“That is a milestone that comes from having a lot of good players, great assistant coaches and a wife, son and daughter who have been my biggest fans,” Edmisson said.
Taylor Booze and Desiree Jeffries topped four OCU double-figure scorers with 12 points each. Booze, a senior from Duncanville, Texas, added three assists, while Jeffries, a junior from Oklahoma City, notched seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Dietra Caldwell, a senior from Missouri City, Texas, posted 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Lauren Gober, a junior from Newcastle, Okla., added 10 points, four rebounds and two steals for the Stars.
OCU strung together two early 9-0 runs. The Stars built a 9-0 advantage to begin the game as St. Gregory's missed its first four shots from the field and committed four turnovers. Gober's trey put OCU in front 9-0 with 16:21 to go in the first half.
Jalisa Howard had a layup to cut St. Gregory's deficit to 13-11 at the 10:06 mark. OCU responded with another nine unanswered points.
Philicia Kelly started the second 9-0 OCU splurge with a lay-in with 8:56 to go in the first. Jeffries sank a layup, then Cara Pugh nailed a jumper. Caldwell's 3 capped the run and provided OCU a 22-11 lead with 7:07 remaining in the first.
Kylie Mayes scored to cut OCU's lead to 46-39 with 13:38 left in the game. The Stars answered with a 10-2 onslaught.
Caldwell hit four free throws, then Jeffries added a pair of free shots. Booze knocked in two jump shots to put OCU up 56-41 with 8:13 showing on the clock.
Booze's transition layup produced the Stars' largest lead of the game, 60-44 with 4:46 left.
OCU overcame shooting 35.5 percent from the field.
“I was not pleased with our focus,” Edmisson said. “I thought we just went through the motions. We started out up 9-0, then just played well enough to win.”
The Stars take on Wayland Baptist (Texas) at 6 p.m. Thursday in Plainview, Texas.
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