Unbeaten Oklahoma City Advances to NAIA Women’s Semifinals with 83-73 Win Over Central State

JACKSON, Tenn. – For the fifth consecutive year Oklahoma City University has advanced to the semifinals of the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship Tournament. The Stars (32-0), the No. 1-seed in the tournament’s first quarter, outlasted No. 2-seed Central State University (Ohio) 83-73 in the quarterfinal-round Saturday afternoon at Oman Arena.

Oklahoma City will face the winner of Wayland Baptist University (Texas) and the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma in the first semifinal at 6 p.m. CST Monday, March 24 at Oman Arena.

Five-foot-nine junior guard Detra Ashley sparked the four-time defending national champion Stars with 20 points, 13 rebounds and three assists. Oklahoma City connected on 28-of-62 (45.2 percent) from the field, and 5-of-14 (35.7 percent) from three-point range. The Stars hit 22-of-28 (78.6 percent) free throw attempts, including 15-of-20 (75 percent) from the stripe in the second half when they turned back a Central State comeback bid.

Central State (28-5) was denied a second straight trip to the national semifinals. The Lady Marauders could not come all the way back after falling behind by 11 points (39-28) at halftime. Central State managed to slice Oklahoma City’s lead to seven points on six occasions in the second half, the last time coming with 5:51 remaining on a jump shot by senior forward Amanda Thompson that made it 66-59. The Stars then built their lead back to 14 points and held off Central State down the stretch.

Oklahoma City’s balanced scoring attack featured five players in double figures. In addition to Ashley’s game-high total, junior guard Kesha Watson added 18 points, to go with six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Junior guard Sarah Kincannon chipped in with 13 points, followed by senior forward Loren Mostacilla and junior guard LaStar Brown with 11 apiece.

Freshman forward Chovonne Harris and junior center Yolanda Cotton led Central State with 14 points apiece. Thompson contributed 13 points for the Lady Marauders and senior guard Nakia Woods added 12.