CHICKASHA, Okla. – Kaylee Edgemon scored a career-high 30 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead No. 2 Wayland Baptist to an 81-73 win over Science & Arts of Oklahoma here Saturday afternoon.

The Queens (2-0) clung to a 52-51 lead going into the fourth quarter but pulled away from the Drovers (2-1) thanks to a 13-0 run. It was 63-58 with just under seven minutes left when Edgemon and Payton Brown combined to score the next 13 points for Wayland, effectively putting the game out of reach.

“We have to have those types of players that are willing to step up in those moments. I’m thankful we have them on this team,” WBU coach Alesha Ellis said. “(Edgemon and Brown) were just clutch. They thrive on that. They would much rather be in games like that than a blowout. They do what it takes to win.”

USAO closed the gap by outscoring the Queens 11-1 to end the game.

“We didn’t shoot very well, (but) in the fourth quarter we were able to knock down a few shots that weren’t falling earlier,” Ellis said. “We put Edge in the middle of the paint and let her go to work on their big girl.”

The 30 points by Edgemon outpaced her previous high as a Flying Queen of 27 that she scored against Southwestern Christian her sophomore year. The senior went 12-of-15 from the free-throw line.

The performance came two days after Edgemon scored 24 points and pulled down 19 rebounds – one off the program record – in an 84-72 season-opening victory over Mid-America Christian.

Jenna Cooper added 19 points, 10 boards and six assists, while Brown tacked on 13 points, including three 3s. Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant ended with 11 rebounds as Wayland dominated the boards, 57-41, including 23-10 on the offensive glass. WBU had 23 second-chance points compared to eight for USAO.
“I was proud of our rebounding. That’s something we always try to focus on. If we’re not hitting, you have to be willing to crash the boards on the offensive end.”
 
Wayland committed just nine turnovers, while the Drovers gave it away 15 times.

“We wanted to keep our turnovers under 10 and were able to do that,” Ellis said, adding, “Defensively, we have to get better on-ball defense.”

The Flying Queens’ next game is Nov. 14 when they make their home debut against Central Christian (Kan.) at noon.

“I’m proud of our effort so far,” Ellis said. “It wasn’t pretty by any means, but to come out with two wins is huge. I think that is our hardest road trip.

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