SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist (14-12, 10-10 GAC) is a win away from clinching a berth into next week's Great American Conference Tournament. The Bison visit Southeastern Oklahoma State on Feb. 25 before traveling to East Central on the 26th.
Both games are slated for 5:30 p.m. tip-offs.
Back in December, the green and gold defeated the Storm 66-51 on the 11th before falling to the Tigers, 61-56, a week later.
History Made
After two victories against Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas, the Bison program set a new benchmark for wins: 14. That is the most ever attained in the Division II era. During the inaugural DII season of 2017-18, that team posted a record of 13-16. This current Bison squad, under the direction of second-year coach
Bo Overton, now has a good chance to attain the program's first winning campaign in DII history.
A Freshman Feat
If one glanced at last week's box scores following wins over Monticello and Southern Arkansas, they'd notice that freshman post player
Jill Leslie notched back-to-back double-doubles. Against the Blossoms, she went for 11 points and 11 rebounds before going for 10 and 16 against the Muleriders. This is only the second time in the DII era that a Bison freshman has pulled this off. The last player to do so?
Kalifa Ford. During the 2019-20 year, she posted 17 points and 15 rebounds against Southwestern (12/14/19) and 13 and 12 versus Central Christian (12/19/19).
Stepping Up
With some injuries in the lineup, the Bison had to have others step up in the games last week against UAM and SAU. And boy did that happen.
Melissa Southard tied her career high with 10 points and dished out a game- and personal-best six assists against Monticello.
Mallory Lockhart added a career-high 22 points in the 62-61 triumph over the Muleriders. Additionally, the Bison bench played its role well in those games, outscoring UAM and SAU by a combined 41-23 margin. In 16 of 26 games this year, OBU's bench has outscored the opponents.
Lockhart Long-Range Update
Mallory Lockhart is now up to 71 makes from downtown this season after totaling eight in the games last week against Monticello and SAU. That total of 71 is tied for 13th in the country. Her 2.73 makes per game average is also good for 20th in DII. Furthermore, Lockhart's 38.8 percent clip this season is a top-50 mark in the nation. Lockhart's season bests include hitting a season-high seven vs. Washburn on Nov. 13 and six versus Oklahoma Christian on Dec. 7.
Postseason Update
Currently, the Bison are the eighth seed for the GAC Tournament which is set to start on Thursday, March 3 at nearby Firelake Arena. A win in either of the next two games solidifies OBU's spot in the conference tourney. Things could get really interesting though should the green and gold win twice against Southeastern and East Central. Should that happen, the Bison could see themselves as high as the four seed. Stay tuned.
Last Time Out
Oklahoma Baptist freshman
Jill Leslie scored with 3.8 seconds left to lift the Bison over Southern Arkansas, 62-61, on February 19 during Senior Day at the Noble Complex. It was the team's 14th win of the year, the most-ever attained since joining DII in 2017-18.
After
Mallory Lockhart was double teamed around the right elbow, she found a wide-open Leslie who scored off the left block. On the ensuing SAU possession,
Melissa Southard helped end the game with a deflection off Ariana Guinn as time expired.
Leslie ended up with 11 points and tied her career-high with 16 rebounds while Lockhart scored a career-high 22. Southard was outstanding as well. She tied her career high with 10 points, dished out a game- and personal-best six assists and grabbed five boards.
Scouting Southeastern Oklahoma State
Southeastern has had a topsy-turvy year. The Savage Storm have had winning streaks as many as four games. Recently, SE has lost six of seven and are one defeat away from being eliminated from the GAC tourney consideration.
In this current 1-6 mark in their last seven, the Storm have scored no more than 62 points. The only outlier was tallying 80 against Monticello on Feb. 12.
SE ranks 11th of 12th in the GAC in scoring offense (63.7). During the loss to OBU on Dec. 11, the Bison held them to 51 points and 4-of-16 three-point shooting.
The Storm rely on Kamryn Cantwell and Briley Moon. They are 11th (14.9) and 15th (13.7), respectively, in the GAC in scoring. Additionally, Chandler Kemp is second in the conference in field goal percentage (53.3).
Scouting East Central
Defense is the name of the game for the Tigers. ECU boasts the second-best scoring defense in the GAC at 63.8. In their win at OBU on Dec. 18, the Tigers held the Bison to 23.8 percent from three and 56 total points.
The Tigers are also fabulous at the free throw line. They lead the GAC (78.9) and are 13th in the nation.
Individually, Madison Rehl is the team leader averaging 13.0 points per game, a mark that's 18th in the GAC. Rehl is also the conference leader in free throw percentage (86.6) and ranks fifth in assists (3.6).
ECU is one of only two schools in the GAC to put two players in the top-13 in three-point field goal percentage. Kate Ogle checks in at No. 11 with a 37.5 percent clip while Crusoe Mackenzie is 13th at 37.2.
