By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern

FRANKFORT, Ky.  – (Box Score) No. 2 Oklahoma City punched its ticket to its sixth-straight NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship quarterfinals with a 58-55 win over No. 6 Montana State-Northern. The Stars are the last No. 2 seed alive in the national championship after three No. 7 seeds advanced to the second round for the first time in national championship history.

Oklahoma City knocked off No. 7 Langston (Okla.), 79-71, while Montana State-Northern defeated No. 3 Columbia (Mo.), 56-55, to advance to the second round.

In what was arguably the most competitive contest start-to-finish thus far at the national championship, the first half was marked by five ties and six lead changes, with Oklahoma City ultimately taking a two point lead to the locker room, 24-22. The back-and-forth action continued in the second period where eight ties and 14 lead changes occurred as the Stars and Skylights went basket for basket.

Oklahoma City grabbed the lead for good on a made free throw from junior guard and Sooner Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year Yvonte Neal, 56-55, with 24 seconds remaining in the contest. After two failed Skylight possessions, senior guard Kayla MacKenzie hit two clutch free throws to give the Stars a three point lead, 58-55, with just three seconds on the clock. Montana State-Northern attempted a pass toward mid-court, which resulted in a final jump ball, with the possession arrow pointing Oklahoma City’s way. With possession, the Stars were able to run out the clock to advance to the quarterfinals.

Freshman guard Natalee Faupel led all scorers with 28 points for the Skylights, setting a career-high mark after averaging just 9.0 points per game during the regular season.

Oklahoma City featured a more balanced attack with three scorers in double-figures: senior forward Autumn Huffman (15), junior center Ouleymatou Coulibaly (13) and Neal (13). Coulibaly also grabbed 11 boards to record the only double-double in the contest.

Oklahoma City out-rebounded the Skylights (41-33) and shot better from the field, 35.7 percent to the Skylights 32.6 percent, while Montana State-North relied on shots from beyond the arc to keep them in the game (35.3 percent, 6-of-17).

The Stars (24-4) advance to the quarterfinals and will face the winner of No. 5 Xavier (La.) and No. 1 Campbellsville (Ky.).

Montana State-Northern is eliminated in the second round for the third-straight time (2001, 2006) and ends the year with a record of 22-10.