source: wbuathletics.com
OKLAHOMA CITY – Wayland Baptist dominated the fourth quarter to defeat Texas Wesleyan, 85-71, and capture its fourth consecutive Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament title.
The eighth-ranked Flying Queens (31-3) led the Lady Rams (25-6) by just three going into the fourth quarter, but Wayland made 13 straight shots to pull away and secure their fifth conference tourney title in the last seven years.
Coach Jason Cooper Interview
Kaitlyn Edgemon hit many of those fourth-quarter shots, hitting half of her game-high 26 points in the final 10 minutes. Tournament MVP Jenna Cooper also came up big in the fourth with nine of her 16 points to match last year’s tourney MVP and all-tournament selection Kaylee Edgemon. Angel Hayden threw in her sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Edgemon sisters had seven rebounds each while Cooper dished out eight of WBU’s 24 assists.
Wayland, in the conference tournament title match for the sixth time in seven years, outrebounded the Lady Rams 44-34, scored 52 points in the paint, and turned the ball over a near season-low seven times.
The Flying Queens next play in the NAIA National Tournament, for which they’ve qualified night straight times. Wayland will host an opening round for that event on March 11 and 12. The three teams selected to join the Queens in that opening round will be announced at 6 p.m. Thursday on the NAIA’s Facebook page.
It was the third, and most lopsided, win of the season in as many matchups against Texas Wesleyan, which was making its first-ever appearance in the SAC Tournament final.
The Lady Rams only led during the game’s first three minutes, until Ashlyn Shelley hit two free throws and Kaitlyn Edgemon nailed a 3-pointer to put WBU up 9-8. The Queens never trailed again, although TXWES tied it at 20 early in the second period. But Wayland went on an 11-2 run and led by nine at the half.
The Lady Rams tied it up again in the third, the last time at 48, and Wayland clung to a three-point lead, 57-54, entering the fourth.
That’s when Wayland shined.
The Queens missed their first field goal of the period, but then rattled off 13 without missing, expanding a 57-56 advantage to 15 points, 85-70. Wayland made every shot it took from the 8:14 mark until finally missing again with 36 seconds to go, ending the period 13-for-16 (81 percent), including a pair of 3s. Interestingly, WBU didn’t attempt a free throw in the fourth.
The very athletic Lady Rams were led by Kertisa Amos with 24 points. Makayla Coy added 17 and Zarria Carter 12, and both had nine rebounds.
All-SAC Tournament
Kertisa Amos, Texas Wesleyan; Milagros Carrera, Science & Arts; Zarria Carter, Texas Wesleyan; Kaylee Edgemon, Wayland Baptist; Lexi Hernandez, Mid-America Christian.
MVP: Jenna Cooper, Wayland Baptist.