OKLAHOMA CITY, OK: The Texas Wesleyan University women's basketball team (7-12, 5-6 SAC) took a 79-68 loss to Mid-America Christian University (13-6, 7-4 SAC) at Gaulke Activity Center on Thursday.
 
The Evangels used a great first half of shooting to establish and maintain a healthy double-digit lead for best part of the second half in a game that got away from the Lady Rams. MACU shot 56 percent from the floor in the first half, which set up a favorable shot-for-shot second half as the Evangels picked up their fourth straight win..  
 
Alycia Louallen hit a three-pointer to make it a two-point, 16-14 game with 1:05 left in the first quarter, but MACU slowly carved out a favorable lead in the second. The Evangels used every bit of the second quarter, shooting 61 percent and pushing the margin up to 14 points at 45-31.
 
Texas Welseyan went 3-3 from the floor to start the third quarter, including a pair of three balls by Karah Sicurella, but allowed MACU to get to the free throw line too often to make a dent in the deficit. The Evangels went 8-8 at the line in the quarter and despite the Lady Rams shooting 47 percent from the floor, the fourth quarter would begin with the scoreboard reading 62-51 in favor of the home team.
 
The final quarter proved fruitless for the Lady Rams, as MACU was able to keep up with the offense and race to an 11-point win. 
 
For the game, the Lady Rams shot just under their season average from the floor at 37 percent. MACU was plus 10 in points in the paint and plus five in rebounding. TXWES managed just nine steals as a team, three below their season average.
 
Sicurella led the team with 13 points, four assists, three rebounds, and a pair of steals. Evie Whorley also had 13 points, to go along with five boards. Falesha Fuller tacked on 10 points and five rebounds, while Lexi Burns led all players with five steals,
 
Texas Wesleyan will come home to face Science & Arts on Saturday, January 27. That game set for a 3:00 p.m. start at the Sid Richardson Center.