No. 8 Flying Queens roll over Lady Eagles, 89-61

Box Score After recording their second most-lopsided victory of the season against Central Christian on Saturday in Kansas, the eighth-ranked Wayland Baptist Flying Queens returned to their home court Thursday evening and claimed a less lopsided but still convincing 89-61 win over Southwestern Christian.
 
"We played them earlier in the season (winning 79-50 in Bethany, Okla.) and went into this game with an offensive plan based on their defense, and our girls on the outside shot really well, which was a big factor," Wayland coach Alesha Ellis said.
 
Eighth-ranked Wayland (15-3, 8-2) shot 48 percent overall and 50 percent (12-of-24) from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the Lady Eagles (7-10, 3-8) shot just 30 percent for the game, including a dismal 17 percent (5-of-30) in the first half.
 
SCU held the lead just once the entire game when Eliora Johnson made a layup early in the first quarter to put her team up 8-7. Johnson leads the NAIA in rebounds, averaging 13.3 per game, and pulled down 18 against Wayland in addition to netting a team-high 17 points.
 
The Queens immediately reclaimed the lead on a jump shot by senior Nina Sato. Wayland led by double-digits, 28-16, after the first period and went up by as many as 32 midway through the third quarter.
 
Wayland's offensive output was strong as five Queens finished in double digits, including starters Maci Merket with 21, Sato with 15 and Deborah VanDijk with 13. Sato also pulled down nine rebounds.
 
"We needed our guards to knock down shots on the perimeter and Maci did that. She came in the game and shot the ball really well tonight," Ellis said of Merket's 8-of-14 effort, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range.
 
In addition to the Queens' starters, Wayland's subs made a significant contribution to the victory. Wayland outscored SCU in bench points, 33-17. Sophomore Kambrey Blakey scored 11 points and senior Gabby Gonzales chipped in 13.
 
"They really executed tonight and knocked down shots. We were missing Kendrick (Clark, sick) and others in that position really stepped up in her absence," Ellis said.
 
Morgan Bennett ended with just two points by contributed nine of WBU's 25 assists to continue to lead the NAIA in that category.
 
The Flying Queens scored 21 points off of the Lady Eagles' 17 turnovers and also had 13 steals, eight of which were taken away by Merket. SCU only managed five steals and six points off of the Flying Queens' 13 turnovers.
 
Ellis spoke on her team's defensive output, "We have been consistent defensively, which I'm proud of. We just have to continue to get better and better on that end of the court because it makes a huge difference.
 
"I knew if we just went out there and did what we know how to do that we'd be OK."
 
Wayland wound up with 10 blocks, four from Kelea Pool and three from Sato.
 
WBU now leads the series with Southwestern Christian, 11-1.
 
The Queens will pick up a forfeit win over St. Gregory's on Saturday due to that university closing its doors. Their next game comes Feb. 1 in Waxahachie against Southwestern Assemblies of God (7-10, 4-7). Wayland defeated SAGU on Dec. 2 in Plainview, 66-47.