OCU Sports
Rich Tortorelli, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
BILLINGS, Mont. – Oklahoma City University topped Campbellsville (Ky.) 87-78 on Monday night in the NAIA Division I women’s basketball tournament Fab Four at the Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark.
The fifth-ranked Stars (33-2) advanced to the national championship game for the 12th time. OCU makes its fourth appearance in the national title contest in six years 8 p.m. CDT Tuesday vs. second-ranked Lewis-Clark State (Idaho).
Oklahoma City will gun for its ninth national championship. OCU owns national crowns won in 1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2012, 2014 and 2015.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN3. Fans can watch the game inside the Leichter Room above Abe Lemons Arena.
“It really is a long road, but the fun part about it is doing it with these players,” Oklahoma City coach Bo Overton said. “It’s easy for us coaches because you just kind of give them a plan, and they go do it.”
The Stars’ Daniela Galindo and Daniela Wallen each turned in 30-point performances. Wallen, a senior from Caracas, Venezuela, produced 33 points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals. Wallen hit 12 of 16 shots from the field and 7 of 8 free-throw tries. She scored 22 points in the first half and notched her eighth 30-point scoring game of the season.
Galindo, a junior from Shattuck, Okla., posted 30 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Galindo shot 8-for-11 from the floor and 12-for-13 on free throws. She had her second 30-point total this season.
OCU sank 59.2 percent from the field – 60.7 percent in the first half – for the best single-game field-goal percentage in the tournaent. The Stars downed 24 of 29 free throws.
In the second quarter, Campbellsville had a 28-24 lead on Madison Clements’ 3-pointer with 8:03 left in the period. Wallen tallied a 3-point play as OCU took back the lead 35-32 at the 4:02 mark.
Jordan Doram dropped in a free throw to cut Campbellsville’s deficit to 66-62 with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. OCU responded with a 7-0 surge sparked by NaShyla Hammons‘ free throws.
Galindo supplied the Stars the next five points, burying a free throw for a 73-62 with 5:23 to go.