Avila Outlasts OKWU with Strong Fourth Quarter Surge

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – All tied up at 49 entering the fourth quarter, Avila women's basketball (2-9, 2-4 KCAC) saved its best team period of the night for last, outscoring Oklahoma Wesleyan (3-8, 2-5 KCAC) by 11 points over the final 10 minutes of the game to earn their second win of the season, 71-60, inside Mabee Fieldhouse on Wednesday night.

At times this season, the first and fourth quarters have been trouble spots for this year's Avila squad. But on this night, that was far from the case: the game was tied after the first quarter and tied again after the third quarter before Avila out-shot OKWU by nearly 20 percentage points, outrebounded OKWU by 11, and outscored OKWU by 11 over the final 10 minutes to emerge with an impressive win.

The new-look Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles made their return to Mabee Fieldhouse, the site of Avila's KCAC Tournament semifinal victory a season ago, to face an Avila Eagles team that was missing a number of pieces on an already-small team. Even still, both of the KCAC's Eagles teams came out flying to start things off Wednesday: Gracie Alexander hit a pair of threes to kick things off for the visitors and Emily Baldwin poured in seven points in the first 10 minutes to keep the scoreline knotted at 21 apiece.

Both teams shot north of 55% from the field in the opening quarter but came crashing back to earth in the second: the teams combined for just six field goals and 19 total points as OKWU took a slim 32-29 lead into the intermission. Avila took a 33-32 lead early in the second half on a Kaytee Frasher stickback, but the visiting Eagles then rallied for a 15-7 run to surge ahead 47-40, their largest lead of the day, with under four minutes left in the third quarter.

That's when the first technical foul charged to the visitors allowed the homestanding Eagles to take charge on both ends of the floor. Baldwin buried both technical free throws to start a run, and Avila allowed Oklahoma Wesleyan to make just one field goal in the final three minutes of the third. Baldwin set up Hannah Smith for a deep ball in the final half minute, tying the score up at 49.

But Avila was far from done. After a slow start to the fourth from both teams, a bucket from Kayla Navy put Avila in front 54-53, before Oklahoma Wesleyan was assessed its second technical foul, this time on the coaching staff. Baldwin once again buried the free shots, extending the lead to three about halfway through the fourth – and Avila cruised from there. OKWU scored just five points over the final five minutes, and three of those came on a three in the final seconds once the game was already beyond all reach. In a game that was tied going into the final frame, Avila ultimately cruised to a win by double digits, 71-60.

River Jefferies led Oklahoma Wesleyan with 17 points before she ultimately fouled out, and two other Eagles scored 11. Smith paced Avila with 23 points, her third 20-point outing in the last four games. Baldwin made all eight of her free throws to score 13 points along with six assists; Navy and London Foster combined for 23 points and 15 boards; Frasher chipped in six points and 10 rebounds.

Up next, Avila women's basketball will make the short trip east to take on Ottawa in what's become a bit of a testy and tasty matchup over the last couple of seasons. It will be a tripleheader of basketball action this Saturday with JV to begin play at 11:45, women's varsity at 2 and men's varsity at 4. As always, you can watch all the action on the KCAC Network, and also listen live on ESPN Wichita as part of the KCAC's Road to Hartman preview series.