Box Score SHAWNEE, Okla. -- The Wayland Baptist Flying Queens and Texas Wesleyan both shot 26 percent from the floor Thursday morning, but the Queens pulled out to a 10-point halftime lead and held off the Fort Worth squad, 54-40, to advance to the semifinals of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
The No. 18 Queens improved to 20-10 on the year – their first 20-win season in five years – and meet tournament host Oklahoma Baptist at 1 p.m. Friday. The championship game is at 4 p.m. Saturday. The winner receives an automatic berth in the national tournament March 19-25 in Frankfort, Ky.
In other quarterfinal games, No. 6 OBU (26-5) beat St. Gregory's (4-24), 92-65, while John Brown (24-6) defeated Mid-America Christian (17-13), 72-60.
Friday's broadcast begins at 12:50 p.m. on KWLD, 91.5-FM and wbu.athletics.com with air time at 3:50 p.m. Saturday if the Queens make the championship contest.
The No. 22 Wayland Pioneers (21-10) were playing John Brown University (20-10) late Thursday night, hoping for an 8 p.m. game on Friday. The championship game is at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The Pioneers are hoping for a spot in the national tournament March 19-25 in Kansas City, Mo.
The Queens split with OBU in the regular season, losing 78-64 at the start of league play but avenging that loss to the then-No. 5 Lady Bison, 73-65, in Shawnee. Wayland, which has now won seven in a row and 18 of its last 20 games, also split with current No. 5 Oklahoma City, losing 75-68 at OCU before an 88-77 victory over the Stars at home.
Gaining their second win over Wesleyan in five days and a sweep of three games, the Queens matched the Lady Rams struggle for struggle throughout much of the contest.
Wayland made just nine of 33 shots in the first 20 minutes compared to seven of 25 for Wesleyan with the teams combining for 20 turnovers – 13 for TWU.
After the Lady Rams went up 15-13 late in the first half, the Queens got a 3-pointer by all-conference guard
Laura Castillo to kick-start a 15-7 run to intermission. Castillo finished with 10 points and seven assists.
Wesleyan never got closer than three points in the second half and matched the 13 turnovers of the first 20 minutes.
Freshman
Shawna Monreal turned in one of her best games of the year, coming off the bench to score 10 points to match Castillo for team-high. She also grabbed five rebounds and had a steal.
Aubrey Pedigo hit a couple of key buckets down the stretch, made all three of her shots and a pair of free throws to finish with eight points.
Iesha Greer and
Christie Mooney contributed seven each. First-team all-conference guard
Angeleigh Davis, averaging 17 points per game for the season, was held to six points but grabbed nine rebounds.
Ony Nolisa, who had 11 in a 70-52 loss to the Queens last Saturday in Hutcherson Center, netted the same Thursday while Amy Moody had 10 for Wesleyan, which finished its season at 15-16.
In Wednesday action involving the bottom six teams in the conference, St. Gregory's, which stood 3-23 on the year, upset Southwestern Assemblies of God, 67-66 in overtime, Southwestern Christian edged University of Science and Arts, 98-90 in OT and Wesleyan ended Northwood's brief stay (the university in Cedar Hill is closing) in the SAC, 80-59.
In first-round men's games, USAO beat Southwestern Christian,77-66; Oklahoma Baptist thumped Texas Wesleyan, 103-77; and John Brown hit a late three to tie the game, then outlasted Northwood, 107-100 in overtime.
