Cooper's career-high 29 boosts No.6 Queens

The sixth-ranked Wayland Baptist Flying Queens added yet another victory to their now 8-game winning streak Thursday evening in Hutcherson Center with a 93-71 Sooner Athletic Conference win over Mid-America Christian University.
 
"I'm really proud of what we did tonight. We had fun, and that always makes a coach feel good," coach Alesha Ellis said. "The kids stayed in character and each played to their strengths, and it ended up being a really good game for us."
 
The Queens (11-2, 4-1 SAC), in avenging an 85-66 loss to MACU in their most recent meeting last season in Oklahoma City, were led by sophomore Jenna Cooper, who scored a career-high 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Cooper's previous high was 23 points last month against LSU-Alexandria.
 
Wayland grabbed the lead early in the game, leading the Evangels (11-3, 4-1) – ranked the equivalent of 29^th in the NAIA – 31-11 by the end of the first quarter. The Flying Queens then ran with it the rest of the way, finishing the first half with 10 3-pointers.
 
Cooper's 18 points and eight rebounds in the first half helped give the Queens a 47-29 advantage at the break.
 
"Jenna really came out and had a great game tonight, and that was something fun to see," Ellis said.
 
Cooper shot 11-of-14 from the field and 7-of-9 from the three. Also scoring in double digits were Payton Brown with 16, Kaylee Edgemon with 11 and Kambrey Blakey, who added 10 and seven boards.
 
The Queens didn't let up after the half, outscoring the Evangels 26-20 in the third quarter and having their largest lead of 27 in the fourth.
 
MACU, winners of its last seven outings, ended 26-of-74 (35 percent) shooting from the field and 8-of-31 (26 percent) from behind the arc. The Evangels were led by Alexis Shannon with 17 points and nine rebounds.
 
Wayland finished 33-of-71 (47 percent) on field-goal shooting, including 14-of-35 (40 percent) from the three. The Queens totaled 50 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Evangels had 41 rebounds and 12 turnovers. Wayland's bench contributed significantly to the victory with 29 points.
 
"It'll be a tougher game at their place, but we were shooting really well and that was definitely a factor," Ellis said. "Hitting 10 threes in one half always helps."
 
The Queens will be back on their home court at 2 p.m. Saturday to face off against University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. USAO (9-4) has won its last two games – 61-46 at John Brown and 69-48 at Oklahoma-Panhandle State on Thursday – and is 4-1 in SAC play.
 
The Flying Queens went 2-1 against the Drovers last season.