By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern

FRANKFORT, Ky. – (Box Score) Six-time national champion No. 2 Oklahoma City advanced to its sixth-straight NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship second round, defeating No. 7 Langston (Okla.), 79-71, in the Franklin Convention Center Wednesday evening.

The win brings Oklahoma City’s all-time national championship win total to 57, just one shy of former member Southern Nazarene (Okla.) (58) for second on the NAIA’s all-time national championship wins list.  Former member Union (Tenn.) tops the list with 67 national championship victories.

After going into halftime with a two point lead, the Stars (23-4) conceded the first basket of the second half, a 3-pointer to Langston senior guard Jasmyne Randolph. The basket put the Lions ahead 37-36, for what would prove to be Langston’s last lead of the contest. Oklahoma City took a one point lead on a Ouleymatou Coulibaly field goal with 18:28 and extended that lead to 12 points on four occasions, before holding on to win by eight.

Oklahoma City senior guard Kayla MacKenzie led all scorers with 20 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field (44.4 percent) in the contest. MacKenzie also drained 3-of-7 3-point attempts (42.8 percent), nearly matching her percentage from inside the 3-point line. Three other Stars scored in double-figures, including senior forward Autumn Huffman, who recorded a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds).

Red River Athletic Conference Player of the Year Lynette Holmes, a junior forward, lead the way for Langston, scoring 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting (43.8 percent). Three other Lions scored in double-figures.

As a team, Oklahoma City shot just 32.8 percent from the field (19-of-58), but the Stars made up for it from the charity stripe, getting to the free throw line 50 times and sinking 72.0 percent of their foul shots (36-of-50).

Though Langston shot 38.8 percent from the field (26-of-67) to best Oklahoma City, the Stars cleaned up many of their missed shots, winning the battle of the boards, 52-39.
The Stars will face the winner of No. 3 Columbia (Mo.) and No. 6 Montana State-Northern at 12:30 p.m. EDT Friday.

With the loss, Langston is eliminated in the first round of the national championship for the first time since 2010 and ends its season with a 20-13 record.