Missouri women's basketball team set to face tough NAIA opponent

COLUMBIA — The Missouri's women's basketball team will attempt to extend its 11-game exhibition winning streak at 2 p.m. Sunday at Mizzou Arena. Oklahoma City University, though, will be a tough opponent.

Oklahoma City (32-4 last season) received a No. 3 ranking in the NAIA coaches preseason poll. The Stars took a 26-game winning streak into the NAIA Tournament in March, before losing to Union University in the semifinals. The Stars are projected to finish first in the Sooner Athletic Conference this season.

The Stars will look to senior Donica Cosby, a 2010 All-American, and sophomore Desiree Jeffries for leadership. Jeffries scored a team-high 17 points and accumulated five rebounds in Oklahoma City's win over Langston in the team's first regular season game.

Meanwhile, the Tigers are coming off a narrow victory over Missouri Western on Tuesday in Robin Pingeton's first coaching experience at Mizzou Arena. Although they had a plus-six margin in turnovers, the Tigers let up 23 of their own. This allowed Missouri Western to lead for nearly 20 minutes before MU rallied with just more than seven minutes left to win 67-60.

Seniors Shakara Jones and Jasmyn Otote shot a combined 3-19 in the game against the Griffons. Junior Christine Flores led the Tigers to victory with 25 points.

Pingeton incorporated two underclassmen into a 10-woman rotation against the Griffons. Sophomore Sydney Clapton and freshman Paige Speitz were two of seven players to receive 10 minutes of playing time or more.