Women's Basketball 3/17/2012 12:08:00 PM

OCU vs. Azusa Pacific women's basketball preview

No. 1-ranked Stars take on Azusa Pacific in matchup of top 10-ranked teams in NAIA

Desiree Jeffries posts 9.5 points and 5.9 rebounds a game while hitting a team-high 55.4 percent of her shots from the field.

NAIA Division I Tournament quarterfinals
1 p.m. CST Saturday, March 17
Frankfort Convention Center in Frankfort, Ky.

THE MATCHUP: Top-ranked Oklahoma City University aims to continue its postseason march with defending national champion Azusa Pacific (Calif.) as its latest obstacle.

ABOUT THE STARS: OCU routed 15th-ranked Westminster (Utah) 76-47 on Friday in the round of 16. The Stars (32-1) have reached the NAIA Tournament quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive year.
Tiffany Goldwire, a 5-foot-9 senior from Oklahoma City, led the Stars with 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Goldwire sank 7 out of 10 free throws. Goldwire, a second-team all-SAC performer, records 10.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.03 steals per game.
Taylor Booze, a 5-6 senior from Duncanville, Texas, notched 16 points, four assists and four steals. Booze chips in 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.42 steals a game. Lauren Gober, a 6-2 junior from Newcastle, Okla., had nine points and five rebounds, dropping in three 3-pointers. Gober, who reached 1,000 career points on Jan. 28, averages 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.46 steals a game this season.
OCU ranks second in NAIA Division I in scoring offense (85.0 points per game) and third in scoring defense (51.9 points a game). The Stars rate in the top five in 12 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. OCU owns national crowns from 1988, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 and national runner-up finishes in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
OCU holds a 4-3 edge in the series against Azusa Pacific. Azusa Pacific defeated OCU 73-64 on Dec. 19, 2009 in Fullerton, Calif., in the last meeting. Gober had 14 points and five steals in that game. The Stars also knocked off Azusa Pacific 92-84 on March 17, 2006 in the NAIA Tournament in Jackson, Tenn.

ABOUT THE COUGARS: Azusa Pacific (Calif.) got past Shawnee State (Ohio) 67-61 on Friday morning in the tournament round of 16. Ninth-ranked Azusa Pacific (26-7) advanced by hitting six free throws in the final 43 seconds after Shawnee State cut its deficit to two points.
Briana Hall, a 5-5 senior, sparked Azusa with 19 points, nine assists and three steals. Hall averages 16.6 points, 6.2 assists and 2.38 steals a game. Amber Williams, a 6-foot senior, had 18 points and 16 rebounds. Williams provides Azusa Pacific 18.9 points and 13.1 rebounds.
Azusa Pacific captured the 2011 national title with a 65-59 triumph over Union (Tenn.) on March 22, 2011 in Jackson, Tenn. Hall and Williams contributed six points each.

ABOUT THE COACHES: Rob Edmisson has posted a stellar 209-31 record in his seventh season at OCU and a 511-150 record overall in his 22nd season as a head coach. Edmisson, a three-time SAC coach of the year, has led the Stars to five SAC regular-season championships and five 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.
T.J. Hardeman has led Azusa Pacific to a 159-44 record in his sixth season in charge. Hardeman's head-coaching record of 194-102 includes a stint at Hope International.

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.

STAYING IN OKC?: Fans can watch the game in the Leichter Room above Abe Lemons Arena.

ON THE AIR: The NAIA provides live stats and live video of the game.

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