Box Score With five games left in the regular season, No. 14 Wayland Baptist kept rolling Thursday night in Sooner Athletic Conference action against No. 17 Oklahoma City, winning 72-60. With the victory, the Queens (17-4, 12-1 SAC) increased their conference lead over the Stars (13-7, 10-3) to two games and extended their winning streak to 13.
The winning streak is the program's longest since the 1998-99 season.
In another tight game, the Queens held onto a narrow lead at the end of the first and second quarters and carried a 34-33 lead into halftime.
Coach
Alesha Robertson-Ellis noticed that while the Queens were ahead, the Stars were making them play out of character with a 2-3 zone defense that forced WBU into 16 turnovers, including nine in the first half.
"It's just a different defense we have to go against," Robertson Ellis said.
Also at the half, WBU was only shooting 38 percent from the field (12-of-31). Meanwhile, OCU shot 46 percent (13-28) in the first 20 minutes with eight turnovers.
"They slowed the game down and controlled the tempo," Robertson-Ellis said. "I told (our players) we needed to run, control the pace, and move the ball around."
One of the difference-makers for the Queens was senior
Krystal Forthan, who came in and helped draw attention away from the perimeter. Forthan finished with eight points and five rebounds.
"Krystal adds a new presence on the floor," Robertson-Ellis said. "She just makes a difference with her size and athleticism."
The Flying Queens' lead was just one, 51-50, going into the fourth.
"I was nervous after the third," Robertson-Ellis admitted.
But the Queens opened up another 10-0 run on the way to outscoring the Stars in the fourth, 21-10, thanks to big play from juniors Shawna and
Shayla Monreal. The twins scored nine of WBU's 21 points in the final period.
"Both twins stepped up," Robertson-Ellis said.
Another solid performance came from sophomore
Nina Sato, who scored 12 points and blocked two shots before fouling out.
"Nina had a great game," Robertson-Ellis said. "She denied the ball and shot very well."
Three starters –
Stephanie Afunugo and
Shayla Monreal each with 13 and Sato with 12 – finished in double figures. Shawna and
Laura Castillo both ended with nine, while Shawna also had seven rebounds and six assists.
"It was a balanced effort and that's what it takes to win big ballgames," Robertson-Ellis said.
The last game on the Flying Queens' four-game homestand is at 1 p.m. Saturday against Mid-America Christian (9-12, 6-7), which lost to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (4-14, 3-10) on Thursday, 71-65. Wayland defeated the Lady Evangels on Jan. 9, 100-50.
A win Saturday would give Wayland its longest streak since the 1991-92 Queens won 16 in a row.
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