USAO Bounced from SAC Tourney

SHAWNEE – The run toward an at-large birth in the NAIA national tournament may have come to an end for the University of Science and Arts’ women as they fell 81-71 to Lubbock Christian Friday afternoon in the first round of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.

Despite 19 points from First Team All-SAC Katie Sterling and 18 points from All-SAC Honorable Mention Stephanie Russell, the Drovers couldn’t make up the 15-point halftime deficit.

Only Russell scored more than five points in the first half as USAO hit only 25 percent from the floor. Behind 10 points - including two three-pointers - from Sierra Wilcox, LCU raced out to a quick lead and held a 36-21 advantage at the half.

Wilcox only finished with 13 points, but 10 LCU players scored on the day and eight scored more than five points to keep the pressure on USAO in the second half. Sterling answered a slow first half with 15 second-half points and five assists while Nikki Yager scored 10 second-half points as well.

USAO pulled to within seven points on an Elaine Contreras three-pointer with 14:57 left, and two free throws by Christina Brown and Sterling pulled the Drovers within six points with 6:50 left. But LCU answered by scoring nine of the next 11 points to pull away.

USAO finishes the season 15-13 overall with a chance for some national awards in the coming weeks. Sterling, the league’s second-leading scorer, has a chance to earn First or Second Team NAIA All-American honors.

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