Bison Women’s Basketball close out 2024 run with trip to SWOSU

SHAWNEE – The women in green and gold are Weatherford bound as OBU looks to continue adding on to the success they've seen so far in conference play.

Oklahoma Baptist Women's Basketball is back on the road for the final matchup of 2024, taking on the Bulldogs from Southwestern Oklahoma State University at 5:30 p.m. Thursday evening. 

In the previous season, the Bulldogs took both games over the Bison. This season, OBU heads into the matchup at the top of the GAC rankings.  

The Preseason Poll saw the green and gold tied with SWOSU for third place in the conference. 

Headed into the matchup, the Bison have an edge over the Bulldogs, tied for first place in the GAC while the Bulldogs just secured their first win of conference play.

As the green and gold make their way to Weatherford, the Oklahoma Baptist is the only team in the GAC with both men's and women's basketball programs undefeated in conference action.

Bison Notes

• This is the best start for the Bison since the 2022-2023 season when OBU opened conference with a 6-0 record. Headed into the game against the Bulldogs, the green and gold a 4-0 in conference play. 
• The most recent win for OBU came in the form of a 69-50 win over East Central in Tiger territory. Two days prior, the Bison pulled off a nail-biting 86-82 win in overtime against Southeastern Oklahoma State University at home in Noble. 
• OBU sits at the top of the conference with an overall 8-2 record and a perfect conference record. Harding is also in the fight for the top spot, reflecting the same overall and conference record as the green and gold.
• Oklahoma Baptist leads the league in percentage from the line at .824. The Bison are ranked fourth in the conference in blocked shots per game (3.70) and assists per game (12.90). The green and gold are fifth in steals at 9.20 per game.
• In the most recent week of play, Mackenzie Crusoe led the team with 39 points, averaging 19.5 per game on the week. Over the span of 60 minutes and 22 seconds of play, Crusoe surpassed .500 from the field (16-29) and was two shots shy of perfect from the line, going 7-9 on the week from the charity stripe. The graduate student totaled six rebounds, four assists, six steals and one block to round out the week.
• Jaedyn Getman has made waves for OBU in her return to action, totaling 31 points to average 15.5 per game in the last week of action. In just under 45 minutes, Getman went 10-19 from the field, 50% from the three and solidified a perfect 8-8 from the line. The junior for the Bison totaled seven rebounds, four assists and one steal.
• Other key players for the green and gold in the last week include Jill Leslie, Sierra Copeland, Payten Conde and Katelyn Davis. Leslie led the team in rebounds with 13, also adding two blocked shots and four assists to the Bison resume this past week. Copeland amassed 10 rebounds, four steals, two blocks and shot .500 from the field. Conde also contributed 10 rebounds for OBU as well as three steals, one block, five assists, and 15 points, going .500 from the field and perfect from the line. In her freshman season as a Bison, Davis' most recent outing saw 22 points for the rookie. Davis tallied two blocks, four rebounds and had great night shooting. The Choctaw, Okla., native, went 7-14 from the field, 6-12 from the three and perfect from the line. 

 
Bulldog Notes

• In the most recent game for SWOSU, the Bulldogs pulled off a 62-60 win over East Central on Monday. The win over the Tigers was the first win in four conference games for the SWOSU.
• The Bulldogs opened up their conference run with a double-digit loss to Harding and a five-point loss to Arkansas Tech at home. A hard 74-49 loss to Southern Nazarene totaled a 0-3 record in conference for SWOSU but the win over ECU saw the Bulldogs earn their first conference win, bringing their overall record to 5-4 and their conference mark to 1-3. 
• Averi Zinn is the leader of the pack offensively, bringing in 112 points to lead the team. Averi averages 12.4 points per game, sitting at 40% from the field, 27% from the three and 88% from the line at 22-25. #5 for the Bulldogs, Averi has compiled 17 steals and 29 assists, leading the team in both categories. 
• Hailey Grant is another player to watch, leading the team with seven blocks. Grant's resume on the season includes 12 steals, 31 rebounds, and 99 points. At 36-84 from the field, 7-24 from the three and 20-25 from the line, #2 for the Bulldogs is averaging 11 points a game.
• Another leader amongst the SWOSU group is Mason Jones. Jones is tied for second most rebounds on the team at 34, has totaled five blocked shots this season, 12 steals and averages just under nine points per game. 
• Layni Zinn is another player to watch for SWOSU, totaling 13 steals, five assists, nad 26 rebounds. Layni is shooting 35% from the field, 52% from the three and 73% from the line. 
• Averi Zinn is ranked 12^th in the league in points per game averaging 12.4 and Grant is in the top 20, taking 19^th in points per game at 11. Grant sits right outside the top 20 in the league in field goal percentage at .429 from the field. Averi Zinn in ranked fourth in the free throw percentage at .880 while Grant takes 12^th at .800 and Jones at 17^th (.724). Layni Zinn is a threat from the throw, taking fifth place in the GAC in three-point percentage at .524 and 18^th in threes per game with an average of 1.2. Avery Zinn is ranked seventh in the league in assists at 3.2 assists per game.