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The No. 25 MACU women's basketball team will host a high-profile NAIA matchup inside the Gaulke Activity Center on New Year's Eve as the Evangels will take on No. 16 Sterling (Kan.) at 1 p.m. in an NAIA Top 25 matchup. MACU will then return to Sooner Athletic Conference play on Monday, Jan. 2 as it will head to Texas Wesleyan for a 6 p.m. tip inside the Sid Richardson Center.

MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 9-2 (4-2 SAC)
• Last Game: Won at Southwestern Christian (Okla.) – 72-59 – Dec. 13, 2022 – Bethany, Okla.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Points: Shy Christopher (136, 15.1 ppg), Whitney Outon (112, 12.4 ppg), Jaci Littell (97, 12.1 ppg)
  • FG% (Min. 3 FGM/G): Whitney Outon (42-94, 44.7%), Shy Christopher (51-120, 42.5%), Jaci Littell (28-84, 33.3%)
  • 3FG% (Min. 1 3FGM/G): Jaci Littell (16-41, 39.0%), Whitney Outon (13-34, 38.2%), Kyleigh Leverich (14-37, 37.8%)
  • FT% (Min. 2 FTM/G): Jaci Littell (25-31, 80.6%), Shy Christopher (29-43, 67.4%)
  • Reb: Whitney Outon (77, 8.6 rpg), Sydney Wycoff (49, 6.1 rpg), Shy Christopher (48, 5.3 rpg)
  • Assists: Sydney Wycoff (25, 3.1 apg), Kyleigh Leverich (24, 2.7 apg), Shy Christopher (20, 2.2 apg)
  • Steals: Jaci Littell (14, 1.8 spg), Sydney Wycoff (10, 1.3 spg), Kyleigh Leverich (9, 1.0 spg)
  • Blocks: Whitney Outon (13, 1.4 bpg), Ashley Hopper (7, 0.8 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time in 44 games, Mid-America Christian got back on the winning track heading into the holiday break. After outscoring Southwestern Christian 44-21 in the first half, the Evangels held off the Eagles in the second half to secure a 72-59 road win on Dec. 13.
  • In the win over SCU, the Evangels put together a balanced scoring effort with three players scoring 13 points and five players scoring at least seven points. Jaci Littell narrowly missed a double-double by ripping down eight rebounds and tallying three steals with her 13 points while Shy Christopher and Kyleigh Leverich also chimed in with 13 points apiece.
  • With Kyleigh Leverich going 3-for-6 from behind the arc in the win, the Evangels are currently the only team in the SAC that have three players ranking in the top 11 in the league in three-point shooting percentage: Jaci Littell (39.0%, 5th), Whitney Outon (38.2%, 8th), Kyleigh Leverich (37.8%, 11th).
  • After outrebounding SCU by a 42-31 margin, Mid-America Christian continues to be the top rebounding team in the SAC. The Evangels are averaging a league-best 45.9 boards per game and have been especially good on the defensive glass, tallying 30.9 per contest.

SCOUTING REPORT

No. 16 Sterling (Kan.)

• Record: 10-3
• Last Game: Won at Kansas Wesleyan – 76-57 – Dec. 13, 2022 – Salina, Kan.
• Series vs. MACU (2003-): Sterling leads 4-2
• Last Game vs. MACU: MACU won 95-88 – Nov. 7, 2015 – Sterling, Kan.
• Players to Watch:
  • Karsen Schultz – SR – G
    • 219 Points (16.8 ppg), 82-160 FG (51.3%), 7-17 3FG (41.2%), 48-55 FT (87.3%), 99 Reb (7.6 rpg), 29 Assists (2.2 apg), 28 Steals (2.2 spg)
  • Bailey Albright – SR – G
    • 167 Points (12.8 ppg), 61-141 FG (43.3%), 19-54 3FG (35.2%), 26-40 FT (65.0%), 42 Reb (3.2 rpg), 46 Assists (3.5 apg), 22 Steals (1.7 spg)
  • Taya Wilson – SR – F
    • 154 Points (11.8 ppg), 51-120 FG (42.5%), 46-58 FT (79.3%), 107 Reb (8.2 rpg), 31 Assists (2.4 apg), 24 Steals (1.8 spg), 14 Blocks (1.1 bpg)
• Team Notes:
  • After going 3-3 through its first six games, No. 16 Sterling has caught fire by winning its last seven contests as the Warriors went into the Christmas break with a 76-67 win at Kansas Wesleyan on Dec. 13.
  • Sterling is a team that takes advantage of its opportunities from the free throw line as the Warriors rank 14th in the NAIA in free throw percentage at 75.0 percent (186-of-248).
  • While the Warriors feature a NAIA Third Team All-American in Bailey Albright and an honorable mention selection in Taya Wilson, the Warriors have been led offensively by senior guard Karsen Schultz. A transfer from NCAA Division II Emporia State (Kan.), Schultz this season is averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting an efficient 51.3 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from the arc and 87.3 percent from the charity stripe.
  • Even though Sterling holds a 4-2 lead in the all-time series since 2003, Mid-America Christian has won the last two meetings against the Warriors. The last time the two teams met, the Evangels dominated the first three quarters, outscoring SC 79-54 before holding on for the 95-88 win at Sterling on Nov. 7, 2015. MACU will be looking for its first win over Sterling inside the Gaulke Activity Center as the Warriors won the only previous meeting at MACU 78-64 on Nov. 11, 2006.

Texas Wesleyan

• Record: 9-1 (6-0 SAC)
• Last Game: Won vs. Concordia (Neb.) – 73-71 – Dec. 28, 2022 – Fort Worth, Texas
• Series vs. MACU (2009-): MACU leads 17-5
• Last Game vs. MACU: TWU won 74-55 – Feb. 28, 2022 – Gaulke Activity Center (SAC Semifinal)
• Players to Watch:
  • Zarria Carter – SO – F
    • 177 Points (17.7 ppg), 72-127 FG (56.7%), 33-52 FT (63.5 FT%), 83 Reb (8.3 rpg), 18 Steals (1.8 spg), 7 Blocks (0.7 bpg)
  • Kertisa Amos – SR – F
    • 145 Points (14.5 ppg), 50-137 FG (36.5%), 44-58 FT (75.9%), 72 Reb (7.2 rpg), 24 Assists (2.4 apg), 33 Steals (3.3 spg)
  • Makayla Coy – SR – F
    • 124 Points (12.4 ppg), 46-105 FG (43.8%), 30-44 FT (68.2%), 85 Reb (8.5 rpg), 9 Assists (0.9 apg), 15 Steals (1.5 spg)
• Team Notes:
  • Prior to competing against LSU-Alexandria and Our Lady of the Lake in the OLLU Classic on Friday and Saturday (story published prior to results of games), Texas Wesleyan survived a non-conference scare at home from Concordia (Neb.) 73-71 on Dec. 28. In the contest, Concordia rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter, getting to the free throw line with a second left with the opportunity to tie the game up. However, Taysha Rushton missed both foul shots as the Lady Rams held on for the win.
  • Coming into the contest as the only undefeated team in Sooner Athletic Conference play, Texas Wesleyan is the league leader at free throw attempts per game as the Lady Rams attempt 25.2 tries per game, converting on 71.4 percent of its attempts. Despite TWU's impressive free throw shooting prowess, the Lady Rams have not produced much from the three-point arc, making a league-low 38 triples on a 30.9 percent shooting clip.
  • After bringing back its top three scorers from last season in Zarria Carter, Kertisa Amos and Makayla Coy, the trio has once again proven to be tough to stop as all three players are averaging more than 12 points per game while Tyler JC junior guard transfer Taryn Wills has also provided a scoring threat for the Lady Rams at 11.8 ppg.
  • While Mid-America Christian leads the all-time series (17-5) and won both regular season games against Texas Wesleyan last season, the Evangels will be looking to get some revenge against the Lady Rams after TWU defeated MACU on its home court in the SAC Semifinal by a score of 74-55 on Feb. 28. The last time the two teams met in Fort Worth, the Evangels grinded out a free throw shooting slugfest in a 101-92 victory as Kyleigh Leverich poured in 22 points and went 12-for-16 from the foul line.

Original source can be found here