Alva Review-Courier -

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — The last time Southern Nazarene won six games in a row, they finished the season with a national championship. That was in the 2012-13 season where they ripped off 10 victories in a row and captured the NCCAA title.

Although times are a little different nowadays competing in NCAA Division II, the Crimson Storm (11-9, 10-4) are on quite an impressive run at the moment. SNU just capped off its latest road trip with a 76-64 win over Ouachita Baptist inside the Bill Vining Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The win over the Tigers (6-13, 4-9 GAC) makes it six straight for the Storm and also makes it eight victories in their last nine contests. The win also moves SNU into sole possession of second place in the Great American Conference, which is something the Crimson Storm haven't reached in their time in the Division II spectrum.

Sophomore guard Alexus Jones had arguably the best all-around game of her career with SNU as she absolutely lit up the Tigers on their home floor. She scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, pulled down 10 rebounds, dished out seven assists and recorded two steals. Sound a little like another big-time point guard in the state of Oklahoma?

Adrienne Berry and Jaycee Soap each finished in double-figure scoring for Southern Nazarene as well as Berry scored 16 points and knocked down a season-high four three-pointers while Soap also hit four triples and finished with 14 points. You won't find another guard scrappier than Madeline Schroepfer as the senior scored eight points and pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds. She now averages 9.2 rebounds per game over her last four outings, which is pretty incredible for someone listed at 5'5 on the roster.

Irene Perez scored nine points and added six rebounds while Abby Niehues chipped in five points and four rebounds.

Southern Nazarene finished the game shooting 44 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from behind the three-point arc as they made a season-high 12 triples in the game. Although Ouachita shot 47 percent from the field on their home floor, SNU was able to hold the Tigers to 28 percent shooting from downtown and they forced 15 turnovers out of OBU as well.

The Storm used their patented swarming defense in the opening period, holding Ouachita to just 10 points on five made field goals as SNU jumped out to an early 20-10 lead after one.

Ouachita picked up their offense in the second quarter as they knocked down three triples and 46 percent shooting. But the Crimson Storm used some three-point shooting of their own to keep pace as they hit six threes, four of them coming from Soap, to take a 42-29 lead into halftime.

Head coach Trent May knew that the Tigers would come out in the second half with a fire lit under them, and he was partially right. Ouachita held the Storm to 3-of-12 shooting from behind the arc, but SNU used their strong defense to hold on.

The Tigers were able to outscore the Storm 17-16 in the third to cut the deficit to 58-46 heading into the fourth quarter. But Southern Nazarene was ready for any kind of run Ouachita had planned in the final frame as they shot 43 percent in the fourth to help seal their sixth straight victory.

The win is very significant for Southern Nazarene in the fact that they now return home for six straight home games inside the Sawyer Center where they currently hold a 6-1 record on the year.

SNU kicks off this six-game stretch next Thursday night against Northwestern Oklahoma State who knocked off the Storm in Alva back in late November. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in that contest as Southern Nazarene will look to make it seven wins in a row.