OKLAHOMA CITY – On the strength of another well-rounded effort, the sixth-ranked Wayland Baptist Flying Queens took down Philander Smith College, Ark., in the Oklahoma City University Classic on Saturday afternoon, 81-63.
After seeing seven Flying Queens score in double-digits and three record double-doubles in Friday's 101-77 victory over No. 15 Our Lady of the Lake University, Wayland put five in double-figures with another double-double against the Panthers (5-3).
"The girls were anxious to play this weekend," said WBU coach
Alesha Ellis, whose team was idle for 13 days after the season-opener Nov. 3.
Senior
Maci Merket led unbeaten Wayland (3-0) with 14 points while three players – junior
Deborah VanDijk, freshman
Payton Brown and sophomore transfer
Kaylee Edgemon – had 11 apiece.
Morgan Bennett added 10.
VanDijk matched her point total with 11 rebounds for her second straight double-double. Both Merket and Brown were two rebounds away from double-doubles, while
Kambrey Blakey just missed one herself with eight points and nine boards. Freshman
Cailyn Breckel pulled down 11 rebounds, and Bennett tallied five assists.
Ellis said the team's depth is one of its strongest points.
"Anybody can come off the bench and get a double-double. That's what's so good about this team," she said.
While Wayland won by 18, the game was much closer than that.
A back-and-forth first quarter ended with Bennett hitting a 3-pointer to give the Flying Queens a 16-15 lead. The Panthers – who lost to No. 10 Oklahoma City University on Friday, 71-59 – held their last lead of the game at 24-23 at the 7:15 mark of the second, and Wayland was up at intermission, 36-31.
PSC scored the first four points of the second half to get within one, but the Flying Queens responded with a 10-0 run. It started with a 3-pointer by
Kelea Pool. After a layup by Breckel, Edgemon scored five straight to stretch Wayland's lead to 46-35.
It was 62-53 entering the final 10 minutes when the Flying Queens went on another big run, this one 7-0. Breckel got it going with a bucket, Merket turned a steal into a lay-up then Bennett nailed a 3 to put WBU ahead by 16, 69-53.
A 3-pointer by
Margaret Gaydon with 48 seconds left accounted for the final score and the Flying Queens' largest lead, 18.
Wayland turned it over 19 times but once again dominated the boards, 59-38, including 24 offensive rebounds.
Ellis said both Our Lady of the Lake and Philander Smith play similar styles.
"Both teams are very quick and athletic and make you play outside of what we're used to. You're going to turn the ball over, but the key is keeping your composure. I was proud of how we handled the pressure and moved the ball.
"We did really well on the boards both games."
The Flying Queens shot 41 percent (32-of-79) from the field, 28 percent (9-of-32) from beyond the arc, and 57 percent (8-of-14) at the free-throw line.
The Panthers, who knocked off No. 18 LSU-Shreveport, 71-64, earlier this season, made just 3-of-16 3s (19 percent) and 12-of-22 free throws (55 percent).
It was the Flying Queens' first-ever meeting with Philander Smith, a member of the NAIA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.
Wayland plays its home-opener at 5 p.m. Wednesday against Northern New Mexico in the second half of a doubleheader with the Pioneers, who host Central Baptist College (Ark.) at 3.
Having played mostly NCAA Division I and II opponents, NNMC took a 1-6 record into a game Saturday night against Colorado-Colorado Springs. The Eagles are nearing the end of an eight-game road swing that will close when they play at New Mexico State on Nov. 26. Wednesday's game against Wayland will be NNMC's seventh road game in 13 days.
"They are going to be scrappy and work hard," Ellis said of the Eagles. "We have to protect the ball and make sure we execute on the offensive end."
Of making their home debut, the coach said, "We're looking forward to that home support."
