�Game Notes

National Championship Central

FAYETTE, Mo. - No. 8-seed Central Methodist battles No. 1-seed Oklahoma City on Wednesday in the 33rd Annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship first round.

Tip-off against defending national champion and second-ranked in the country Oklahoma City is set for 11 a.m. CT in Frankfort, Ky.

The game can be seen live online at cmueagles.com. NeuLion, the NAIA's official video streaming company of 12 select NAIA National Championship events, will be broadcasting the first 30 games from Frankfort, Ky. An all-tournament pass (30 games) is available for $29.95, while a single day pass can be purchased for $9.95.

Cmueagles.com will provide a free live radio call of the game.

33rd Annual Division I Women's Basketball National Championship presented by kentuckytourism.com - First Round, Fourth Quadrant
No. 8-seed Central Methodist (25-6) vs. No. 1-seed Oklahoma City (26-3)
Wednesday, March 13 - 11 a.m. CT
Frankfort, Ky. - Frankfort Convention Center
Live Video and Radio:�cmueagles.com
Radio Talent:�Tyler Winn
Live Stats:�cmueagles.com
Live Chat:�cmueagles.com
Twitter Updates:�@cmueagles

Division I Championship History:
Appearances:
Central Methodist: First
Oklahoma City: 19th (16th straight)

All-Time Record:
Central Methodist: 0-0
Oklahoma City: 54-12

Streak:
Central Methodist: N/A
Oklahoma City: Won 5

Last Game:
Central Methodist: N/A
Oklahoma City: 69-48 win vs. Union (Tenn.) in 2012 championship game

About Central Methodist:
Central Methodist enters Wednesday's game with a 25-7 overall record after a Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament championship game loss to MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.). The Eagles are 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Raylyn Nuss�leads the team and ranks 12th in the HAAC in scoring with 10.78 points per game, while�Britney Joseph�ranks second in the league in rebounds per game with a 9.63 average.

The Eagles are 3-0 in neutral site games this season.

About Oklahoma City:
Oklahoma City enters Wednesday's game with a 26-3 overall record after losing to Lubbock Christian (Texas) in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament championship game.

In NAIA Division I, Oklahoma City:

Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Turnover Margin (13.207)
Ranks Number 2 in Division I in Scoring Margin (32.138)
Ranks Number 2 in Division I in Scoring Offense per Game (82.517)
Ranks Number 3 in Division I in Scoring Defense per Game (50.379)
Ranks Number 3 in Division I in Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.258)
Ranks Number 3 in Division I in Field Goal Pct Defense (0.330)
Ranks Number 5 in Division I in Offensive Rebounds per Game (17.345)
Ranks Number 5 in Division I in Steals per Game (15.000)
Ranks Number 6 in Division I in Total Steals (435)
Ranks Number 7 in Division I in Total Scoring Offense (2393)
Ranks Number 7 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.448)
Ranks Number 7 in Division I in Assists per Game (16.655)
Ranks Number 10 in Division I in Total Rebound Margin (8.793)
Ranks Number 13 in Division I in Total Rebounds per Game (43.448)
Ranks Number 14 in Division I in Total Assists (483)
Ranks Number 15 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct (0.338)
Ranks Number 19 in Division I in Total Rebound Defense (34.655)
Ranks Number 24 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct Defense (0.280)
Ranks Number 25 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Made per Game (6.138)
Ranks Number 29 in Division I in Total 3-Pt FG Made (178)
Ranks Number 29 in Division I in Total Total Rebound Offense (1260)
Ranks Number 40 in Division I in Blocks per Game (2.897)
Ranks Number 41 in Division I in Total Blocks (84)
Ranks Number 45 in Division I in Defensive Rebounds per Game (26.103)
Ranks Number 48 in Division I in Free Throw Pct (0.671)

Individually in Division I:

Katie Hall Ranks Number 4 in Division I in Offensive Rebounds per Game (5.000)
Lauren Gober Ranks Number 5 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Made per Game (2.724)
Ravven Brown Ranks Number 8 in Division I in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.200)
Lauren Gober Ranks Number 9 in Division I in Total 3-Pt FG Made (79)
Katie Hall Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Total Rebounds (274)
Katie Hall Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Rebounds per Game (9.448)
Lauren Gober Ranks Number 20 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct (0.395)
Desiree Jeffries Ranks Number 21 in Division I in Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.839)
Jessica Lankston Ranks Number 23 in Division I in Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.829)
Desiree Jeffries Ranks Number 30 in Division I in Total Assists (114)
Desiree Jeffries Ranks Number 32 in Division I in Assists per Game (3.931)
Lauren Gober Ranks Number 34 in Division I in Steals per Game (2.345)
Lauren Gober Ranks Number 34 in Division I in Total Steals (68)
Lauren Gober Ranks Number 46 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.441)
Jessica Lankston Ranks Number 48 in Division I in Steals per Game (2.148)
Lauren Gober Ranks Number 49 in Division I in Points per Game (15.310)

Oklahoma City is 5-2 in neutral site games this season.

How They Got Here

Central Methodist qualified for the National Championship as the No. 13 at-large out of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC).

Oklahoma City qualified as the No. 1 at-large out of the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC).

Eagles Dancing for First Time in Division I

Central Methodist is competing in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship for the first time ever. The Eagles made four straight appearances (1997-2000) in the Division II National Championship and were 7-4 overall, including a run to the Final Four in 1999.

The Eagles are one of five teams making their first trip to the Division I Women's Basketball National Championship. The others are Benedictine (Kan.), Coastal Georgia, Faulkner (Ala.) and St. Catharine (Ky.).

Stars Shine on Biggest Stage

Oklahoma City, the defending national champion, is making its 16th-straight (19th all-time) appearance in the Division I National Championship and ranks third all-time with 54 victories at the event. Oklahoma City is 54-12 all-time in NAIA tournament play.

The Stars won five National Championship games last season en route to the title and are 10-2 in the event in the last three seasons.

Oklahoma City ranks second all-time with six national titles (1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2012).

HAAC in Division I National Championship

Central Methodist is one of three HAAC teams (MidAmerica Nazarene, Benedictine) in the National Championship field this year. The Eagles will look to help reverse the conference's recent struggles in the postseason at the highest level. Since the HAAC joined NAIA Division I in 2009, the league is 1-6 in the National Championship, with the lone win coming last season when No. 8-seed Avila (Mo.) defeated No. 1-seed Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 84-82 in double overtime.

Central Methodist Vying for Highest Winning Percentage

Central Methodist is on pace to establish the highest winning percentage in a season in school history. The Eagles' winning percentage in 2012-13 is .781, and the record of .778 was set by the 1996-97 unit that went 28-8 and reached the NAIA Division II Sweet 16.

Common Opponent

Central Methodist and Oklahoma City, two teams unfamiliar with each other, also do not have much in common in terms of opponents. The Eagles and Stars have played only one common opponent this season: Evangel (Mo.).

The Stars routed the Crusaders 86-53 on Nov. 3. Central Methodist is 1-1 this season against Evangel, losing 63-57 on the road on Nov. 29 before winning 61-49 on Jan. 24 in Puckett Fieldhouse.

Oklahoma City Quick Hitters

Oklahoma City is led by SAC Player of the Year Lauren Gober and senior guards Desiree Jeffries and Katie Hall.

Gober, a senior forward, averages 15.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.35 steals while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range. She ranks fourth nationally with 2.72 3-pointers made per game. Gober has compiled 1,645 points, 689 rebounds, 236 steals, 93 blocks and 296 3-pointers in her OCU career, topping the program's all-time list in treys.

Jeffries became a three-time All-SAC performer, taking first team all-league honors this season. She took all-tournament honors in the SAC Tournament for the second consecutive year. Jeffries posts 12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.79 steals a game. She has 1,026 points, 528 rebounds, 314 assists and 164 steals in her three-year Stars' career.

Hall became a first team all-conference choice this season and all-tournament pick in the SAC Tournament. Hall has turned in 12.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.59 steals a game and a 53.6 percent field-goal percentage this season. Hall has accumulated 1,306 points and 1,111 rebounds in her college career � 944 points and 837 rebounds at Western State (Colo.).

D:60

The Green and Black are 18-0 when yielding 60 or fewer points but just 7-7 when giving up 61 or more. However, the Eagles are 4-2 in their last six games when allowing 61 or more points.

Central Methodist Ranks in Multiple NAIA Division I Categories

In NAIA Division I, Central Methodist:

Ranks Number 7 in Division I in Total Total Rebound Offense (1411)
Ranks Number 8 in Division I in Total Assists (514)
Ranks Number 9 in Division I in Total Rebounds per Game (44.094)
Ranks Number 12 in Division I in Assists per Game (16.063)
Ranks Number 13 in Division I in Defensive Rebounds per Game (28.719)
Ranks Number 13 in Division I in Total Rebound Margin (7.875)
Ranks Number 14 in Division I in Total 3-Pt FG Made (206)
Ranks Number 15 in Division I in Total Scoring Offense (2245)
Ranks Number 16 in Division I in Offensive Rebounds per Game (15.375)
Ranks Number 16 in Division I in Field Goal Pct Defense (0.357)
Ranks Number 17 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Made per Game (6.438)
Ranks Number 19 in Division I in Scoring Margin (12.563)
Ranks Number 20 in Division I in Assist/Turnover Ratio (0.873)
Ranks Number 20 in Division I in Scoring Defense per Game (57.594)
Ranks Number 24 in Division I in Scoring Offense per Game (70.156)
Ranks Number 26 in Division I in Total Steals (314)
Ranks Number 26 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct Defense (0.282)
Ranks Number 26 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct (0.325)
Ranks Number 32 in Division I in Turnover Margin (1.406)
Ranks Number 32 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.407)
Ranks Number 35 in Division I in Steals per Game (9.813)
Ranks Number 35 in Division I in Total Rebound Defense (36.219)
Ranks Number 44 in Division I in Free Throw Pct (0.681)