OKLAHOMA CITY – A cold shooting day turned into a lopsided outcome for Wayland Baptist here Saturday afternoon as the fifth-ranked Flying Queens fell to third-ranked Oklahoma City University in Sooner Athletic Conference play at Abe Lemons Arena, 70-46.
Wayland (4-2), which swept OCU in three meetings last season, shot just 25 percent from the field, 18-of-71. That includes a 4-of-25 showing (16 percent) from 3-point range.
The Flying Queens never led in the game, their first of five in a row against ranked teams. Wayland trailed 17-9 after the first period and 32-23 at halftime. It was a six-point game until the Stars banked in a 3-pointer at the halftime horn.
OCU began pulling away in the second half, outscoring Wayland in the third quarter, 24-8. After the Queens hit two free throws to open second-half scoring and get within seven, OCU scored 13 straight points to go up 45-25.
The Stars went up by as many as 33 points, 68-35, in the fourth period.
The 40 points were the fewest scored by the Flying Queens since falling to Texas Woman's University, 61-41, on Dec. 15, 2015.
Deborah VanDijk was the only Flying Queen to score in double figures, finishing with 10.
Kaylee Edgemon added nine and
Kelea Pool eight.
Jenna Cooper pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, while
Morgan Bennett had eight boards along with four assists for the Flying Queens, who opened conference play Thursday with a 73-50 road victory over Southwestern Christian.
OCU had four players score in double digits, led by Abby Selzer who got 14 points in her first action after a two-week injury absence. Erika Ankney added 13 points while Mallory Lockhart and NaShyla Hammons got 11 apiece. Brennyn Seagler pulled down 13 rebounds for the Stars, who held a 52-42 advantage on the boards.
The Stars shot 38 percent from the field, 29 percent (5-of-17) from 3-point territory, and 77 percent (17-of-22) from the free-throw line. WBU shot just eight free throws, hitting six.
Wayland committed only eight turnovers, five fewer than OCU.
The Flying Queens next head to Jackson, Tenn., to take on No. 16 Bethel, Tenn., and top-ranked Freed-Hardeman Nov. 29 and 30 in the NAIA Women's Basketball Invitational. Wayland will host two more ranked teams after that, No. 21 Thomas More and No. 23 LSU-Alexandria, to complete a season-opening 10-game stretch against eight ranked teams.
