Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 11, 2016) –
Sarah Parker provided the heroics on both ends of the basketball court for Oklahoma Christian on Thursday against Newman (Kan.) in the Eagles' Nest.
Parker hit two free throws with 5.7 seconds left to give OC the lead, then blocked the Jets' potential game-winning shot in the final moments, enough to allow the Lady Eagles to escape with a 65-62 win.
It was the second time this season Parker, who scored 23 points, had come through in a clutch situation at the free-throw line for OC. In a win at Texas-Permian Basin on Jan. 11, she hit two free throws with two-tenths of a second left to force overtime.
OC (12-12, 9-5 Heartland Conference) moved into a third-place tie in the league standings with Arkansas-Fort Smith and St. Mary's (Texas), one game behind second-place Texas A&M International. All four teams have four games remaining.
The game was tight throughout, with neither team leading by more than five points and the lead changing hands 19 times. OC looked to be in good shape after
Aisha Martin hit two free throws with 5:54 left to put the Lady Eagles up 57-52, but they squandered a pair of opportunities to extend that lead.
Newman (10-12, 4-10) tied the game at 57-57 and 59-59 before taking a 62-61 lead with 1:43 left on a pair of free throws by Bria DeGrate, who scored 17 points. Those would prove to be the Jets' final points.
OC missed two shots on its next possession. Newman rebounded the second one and took a timeout with 53.8 seconds left. The Jets held the ball for about 25 seconds before trying to shoot, but OC's
Audrey Hayes tied up Newman's Lizzy Harrison and the possession arrow favored the Lady Eagles with 29 seconds left.
The Lady Eagles looked to be holding for an all-or-nothing final shot and got the ball inside to Parker, who was fouled by DeGrate while driving to the basket. Parker, an 85 percent free-throw shooter, knocked both down.
Newman called timeout and advanced the ball to the frontcourt. Shaunice Robinson inbounded to DeGrate, but Parker stuffed DeGrate's layup attempt and the rebound went to OC's Kylie Hicks. She was fouled and made both free throws with 1.1 seconds left.
Newman again called timeout and advanced the ball to the frontcourt, but Natalia Hausmann's 3-point attempt fell well short at the buzzer.
Addy Clift added 11 points for OC while
Jasmine Hinton had 10. Another bright spot for the Lady Eagles was the play of freshman point guard
Shae Scheffler, who saw extended game action with senior
Sydney Hill sidelined. In 19 minutes, Scheffler scored six points – on a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers – and added five assists, recording career-highs in minutes and assists.
McKenzie Stanford added nine points for OC and moved past Jana Coker (1986-1990) into 26th place on the program's career scoring list. Stanford has 1,109 career points, while Hill is in 25th place at 1,112 points.
Robinson scored 18 points to lead Newman, while Harrison had 12 and Cierra Tjaden had seven points, six assists and 11 rebounds.
The Lady Eagles will be off until next Thursday, when they will visit Rogers State.