From MACU Sports
Levi Convirs, Sports Information Director
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels have equaled their best 10-game start as an NAIA program with a 73-57 victory over the Bacone College Lady Warriors in Sooner Athletic Conference action Saturday inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
The win moves the Lady Evangels to 9-1 on the season for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign and only the second time overall since joining the NAIA.
MACU broke the game open with a stifling defensive effort in the third quarter, outscoring the Lady Warriors 19-4 to increase a six-point halftime lead to a commanding 53-32 edge heading to the fourth quarter.
After Ashley Barry-Wallace scored for Bacone 21 seconds into the third to cut the lead to four, the Lady Evangels held the Lady Warriors without a field goal the rest of the quarter.
Sarai Rodriguez (8) and Erika Brown (6) supplied the offense in the decisive third quarter for the Lady Evangels.
The Lady Evangels kept the Lady Warriors at arm’s length in the fourth period, leading by as many as 25 and not allowing the lead to dip below the final 16-point margin.
The Lady Evangels led the majority of a tight first half, building the edge to eight on a pair of threes by Jessica Fairley, one at the end of the first quarter and the other to start the second period.
Following a trey by Bailey Scarberry that brought Bacone within three, consecutive threes from Mikki Flores and a jumper by Janaya Hines helped MACU stretch the lead back to six at 34-28 at the break.
Rodriguez led the Lady Evangels (9-1, 2-0 SAC) with 23 points, hitting 8-of-14 from the field and 5-of-10 from three-point distance.
Flores scored 12 points along with a game-high seven assists, while Fairley had a career-high 10 points. Brown tied her career-high output with eight points and also had a career-best and team-high eight rebounds.
Barry-Wallace paced the Lady Warriors (2-5, 1-1 SAC) with 17 points and nine boards, with Cierra Miles adding 14 points.
The Lady Evangels will next play at Central Christian College (Kan.) Monday, Dec. 5 at 5 pm in McPherson, Kan. MACU won the first matchup of the season between the two schools 91-38 at home back on Nov. 7.