SAN ANTONIO (Nov. 22, 2022) – The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) women's basketball team struggled in the last game of the Inaugural OLLU Thanksgiving Classic against NAIA powerhouse Oklahoma City University (OCU). The Saints lost 49-54 to move to 3-3 overall, while the Stars improved to 2-4.

History

The Saints are 3-9 against the Stars. Last year, OLLU fell to OCU 67-72.

Basics

The Saints led throughout the first half, but the Stars returned from the break to take the momentum to win. The Saints scored 16 points in the first quarter and kept the Stars at 14. OCU scored just eight more points in the second quarter, and OLLU scored 10 to go into the locker room leading 26-22. The Stars scored 14 while keeping OLLU at 10 in the third period and added 18 more points in the final frame, while OLLU added 13.

OLLU shot 31.3 percent in the first quarter, and OCU faired better at 45.5 percent. The Saints took an early 5-1 lead, but the Stars returned to tie the game at 5-5. With three minutes left in the quarter, OCU took the lead at 9-8, and a three-pointer from Madelyn Soto gave the Saints back the lead. With the Stars leading 14-13 with 23 seconds left, another three from Soto pushed the Saints to the 16-14 lead at the end of the period.

The second quarter saw the Saints at 26.7 percent and OCU at 25 percent. Neither team scored for the first two minutes of the second quarter. The Stars tied the game at 16 at the 16-minute mark when a pair of free throws from Ariadna Gallardo moved the Saints to an 18-16 lead. Angeline Sanchez, making her season debut after sitting out the entire 2021-2022 season with an injury, scored a layup to give the Saints the 20-16 lead. The Saints dominated and finished the half with a 26-22 lead.

The Saints shot 21.4 percent in the third quarter compared to OCU's 46.7 percent. The Saints had the edge through the first eight minutes of the quarter, leading 34-28. A six-point run from the Stars tied the game with one minute left. After a jumper from Tiffany Lopez, the Saints could not score another point and the period ended with the game tied at 36.

OLLU shot 38.5 percent in the final period, while OCU marked 50 percent. The first points of the fourth period were from OCU – a three at the eight-minute mark. Lopez added one of her own to tie the game at 39. She added another jumper to move ahead 41-39, but the Stars stayed close. They tied the game at 43, 45 and 48 before pushing forward to lead 49-48. From that point on, they kept the lead to win 54-49.

Offensive/defensive standouts

Lopez led the Saints with 14 points. Soto scored nine points, while Sanchez added seven. Lopez also led in rebounding with seven. Sanchez and Natalia Trevino recorded six rebounds. Sanchez led in assists with five, while Trevino was the team's leader in steals with five.

Amaya Gordon led the Stars in scoring with 18, Fiona Wilson added 12, and Cacie Gorman scored 11. Elaine Witt added seven rebounds and five assists.

Inside the box

OLLU combined for 17-of-58 shooting for 29.3 percent, 5-of-24 from the three-point range for 20.8 percent and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line for 83.3 percent. OCU shot 20-of-48 for 41.7 percent, 3-of-15 three-pointers for 20 percent and 11-of-20 from the charity line for 55.0 percent.

The Saints grabbed 34 rebounds, while OCU collected 29. OLLU forced 16 turnovers and committed 14.

Postgame interview

Hear from Head Coach Tanya Ray and watch highlights.

 Up next

The Saints start their Red River Athletic Conference schedule on Dec. 1 as they host LSU-Shreveport at 5:30 p.m.