OCU in John Brown Classic women's basketball preview

Stars square off with College of the Ozarks, ranked seventh in NAIA Division II

Leah Cheney dished out five assists in OCU's exhibitions.

Women's Basketball | 11/10/2016 10:01:00 AM

6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11
vs. College of the Ozarks (Mo.)
1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12
vs. Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.)
Bill George Arena in Siloam Springs, Ark.

THE MATCHUP: Oklahoma City University returns to the John Brown Classic to take on nationally-ranked College of the Ozarks (Mo.) and Lindenwood Belleville (Ill.).

ABOUT THE STARS: Oklahoma City comes off a 68-48 setback in exhibition play to Oklahoma, ranked 16th in the NCAA by the Associated Press, on Monday in Norman, Okla. Oklahoma managed 38.7 percent shooting from the floor.
Daniela Wallen, a 5-foot-11 senior from Caracas, Venezuela, produced 21 points, nine rebounds and three steals. She recorded 21.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.00 steals a game with 46.2 percent shooting from the field during the exhibitions.
Mariana Duran, a 5-7 senior from Yaracuy, Venezuela, supplied the Stars with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals Monday. Duran picked up 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.00 steals a contest with 66.7 percent shooting from 3-point range against Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Daniela Galindo, a 5-10 junior from Shattuck, Okla., had eight points, nine rebounds and three steals. Galindo averaged 11.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.00 steals in exhibition play.
Wallen ranked second in the NAIA with 7.3 defensive rebounds a game, while OCU ranked 11th in defensive field-goal percentage (42.8). To see where the Stars ranked statistically among the NAIA in 2015-16, click here.
The Stars hold the 19th spot in the preseason rankings. OCU extended its streak of top-25 showings to 205 consecutive polls since 1999-2000. OCU owns national championships from 1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2012, 2014 and 2015. SAC coaches installed the Stars as the league's preseason favorite. OCU has won or shared the SAC regular-season crown 16 times.
College of the Ozarks edged OCU 66-62 on Nov. 21, 2015 in the John Brown Classic to even the all-time series between the two teams 1-1. The Stars meet Lindenwood-Belleville for the first time ever.

ABOUT THE LADY BOBCATS: College of the Ozarks nipped William Woods (Mo.) 70-67 on Monday in Point Lookout, Mo. Cassidy Johnson's 3-pointer put College of the Ozarks ahead 64-53 with 4:39 left, then Ozarks held on to move to 5-0.
Johnson, a 5-7 sophomore, struck for 19 points, four rebounds and four treys against William Woods. Johnson provides her team 13.6 points and 2.6 rebounds a game with 42.4 percent 3-point shooting. Lakin Simmerman, a 6-foot junior, had 15 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Simmerman averages 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game with a 63.2 percent field-goal percentage.
College of the Ozarks stands seventh in the preseason NAIA Division II rankings. College of the Ozarks rates seventh in total scoring in NAIA Division II.

ABOUT THE LADY LYNX: Lindenwood-Belleville rallied past Cumberlands (Ky.) 57-53 on Saturday in the Habitat Classic at Georgetown, Ky. Candace Niemerg put Lindenwood-Belleville (2-0) ahead 54-53 with a putback at the 1:08 mark.
Alison Webb, a 6-1 junior, totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds. Webb, who was American Midwest Conference player of the week, tops her team with 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds a game on 58.3 percent shooting from the floor. Brianna Mueller, a 5-7 freshman, had eight points, four rebounds and two steals. Mueller averages 14.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.50 steals a game.
Lindenwood-Belleville ranks fifth in the NAIA with an 80.6 percent free-throw percentage.

ABOUT THE COACHES: Bo Overton returns to OCU for his second season as its head coach. Overton has coaching experience on the professional level in China, Russia and the WNBA, as well as college head-coaching experience with Missouri-Kansas City. Overton has been an assistant on the international level for the Bahamas and China, including the 2012 Olympics with the Chinese team.
Becky Vest has directed College of the Ozarks to an 84-24 mark in her fourth year guiding the program. Vest has brought College of the Ozarks to three national-tournament appearances. She played for both College of the Ozarks and John Brown (Ark.) during her playing days.
Jeff Reis has led Lindenwood-Belleville to a 51-45 record in his fourth season as head coach. Reis is a member of the Webster (Mo.) athletic hall of fame after being two-time St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference player of the year.

QUOTABLE: "When Daniela Wallen's at the 4, she's quicker than those players. When she's at the 3, she has an advantage there, too. When she's on the floor, we have an advantage somewhere." – Overton on Wallen's skills

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Players Mentioned

#20 Mariana Duran: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#22 Daniela Wallen: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#5 Daniela Galindo: G; 5' 10"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#20 Mariana Duran
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#22 Daniela Wallen
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#5 Daniela Galindo
: 5' 10"; Junior
: G

Players Mentioned

#20 Mariana Duran

#22 Daniela Wallen

#5 Daniela Galindo

Players Mentioned

#20 Mariana Duran

#22 Daniela Wallen

#5 Daniela Galindo