Women's Basketball 3/7/2014 12:13:00 AM

Stars fall short to John Brown 66-62

OCU tumbles in SAC Tournament semifinals

Yvonte Neal provided the Stars with 29 points, five rebounds, three assists and six 3-pointers Friday.

Box Score
SHAWNEE, Okla. – John Brown (Ark.) eliminated Oklahoma City University from the Sooner Athletic Conference women's basketball tournament with a 66-62 semifinals win Friday at the Noble Complex.
The fifth-ranked Stars had made the SAC Tournament championship game two years in a row and 12 of the past 14 years. John Brown, ranked 20th, meets sixth-rated Oklahoma Baptist at 4 p.m. Saturday in the tournament title game.
OCU (22-4) clinched a berth in the NAIA Division I Tournament by winning the regular-season league title. Pairings in the NAIA Tournament will be announced Wednesday.
The Stars' Yvonte Neal, a junior from Spring Valley, Calif., tallied a season-high 29 points, surpassing the 27 she had at USAO on Jan. 25 in Chickasha, Okla. Neal tied her season high with six 3-pointers, also reached previously on Jan. 25.
Kayla MacKenzie, a senior from Peoria, Ariz., posted 16 points and four 3s for OCU. Markeisha Johnson, a sophomore from Mansura, La., pulled down a team-high seven rebounds for the Stars.
Neal scored all 11 points as OCU went on an 11-2 tear that pushed its lead into double digits in the first half. Neal canned three treys and a jumper to turn an 18-17 OCU edge into a 29-19 Stars advantage with 4:47 remaining in the first.
John Brown bounced back as Lauren Rogers' 3 cut OCU's lead to 29-27 with 2:37 left in the first.
Kami Garrison's jumper put John Brown in front 48-42 with 10:52 left in the game. OCU rallied to tie the game 53-53 on Autumn Huffman's bucket with 4:42 remaining.
John Brown answered as Brooke Barker's 3-point play gave her team a 57-53 edge at the 3:35 mark. Neal had points that sliced John Brown's lead to two points on three occasions. Neal's jumper in the lane cut the Stars' deficit to 64-62 with 10 seconds left.
Rogers had free throws with a second to go for the final margin. Rogers had 21 points and four 3-pointers, while her teammate Sierra Shipley chipped in 14 points and four treys.

Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament
WOMEN
At Noble Complex, Oklahoma Baptist University
Shawnee, Okla.
Wednesday's Results
First Round
Texas Wesleyan 80, Northwood 59
St. Gregory's 67, Southwestern Assemblies of God 66, OT
Southwestern Christian 98, Science & Arts of Oklahoma 90
Thursday's Results
Quarterfinals
Wayland Baptist 54, Texas Wesleyan 40
John Brown 72, Mid-America Christian 60
Oklahoma Baptist 92, St. Gregory's 65
Oklahoma City 73, Southwestern Christian 65
Friday's Results
Semifinals
Oklahoma Baptist 84, Wayland Baptist 69
John Brown 66, Oklahoma City 62
Saturday's Game
Championship
John Brown vs. Oklahoma Baptist, 4 p.m.

Print Friendly Version