OKLAHOMA CITY – Daniela Wallen surpassed 1,000 career points as the Oklahoma City University women's basketball team defeated USAO 85-70 on Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena.
Wallen, a senior from Caracas, Venezuela, finished the game with 1,001 points in her two-year Oklahoma City career. OCU, ranked seventh in NAIA Division I, moved to 17-2, 8-1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
Wallen scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out three assists and had four steals in the game. Her 11 double-doubles leads the SAC and is tied for third in the NAIA.
"Daniela [Wallen] works very hard every single day," Stars head coach Bo Overton said. "It really shows when she gets into the game because she's extremely focused in every aspect of the game. Not just on defense, but on rebounding and getting the ball in the basket."
Daniela Galindo and NaShyla Hammons both scored in double figures for the Stars. Galindo a junior from Shattuck, Okla., provided 18 points, eight rebounds and two steals while Hammons, a freshman from Oklahoma City, scored a career high 16 points and went 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.
The Stars never trailed in the game as they opened the game on an 18-4 run. OCU outscored USAO 30-14 and shot 68.8 percent in the first quarter. The Stars have now held the lead after the first quarter in 18 of 19 games this season and have outscored opponents by an average of 9.7 points after one period.
"I think it's all about coming out focused," Overton said about his team's great starts. "I think tonight it was really about taking care of the ball well in the first half. I think we only had three turnovers in the first half, and when we do that and are able to get shots up we become very tough to beat."
Mariana Duran hit a free throw with 8:34 left in the third quarter to give the Stars a 59-23 lead, its biggest of the game.
Dierra Ely led USAO (8-9, 6-3 SAC) with 14 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists.
The Stars will play again Saturday at 5 p.m. in Oklahoma City at Abe Lemons Arena against Bacone.