Senior guard Avery Oetting provided the fireworks for the Culver-Stockton women's basketball team which celebrated the start of the new year with a convincing 106-64 Heart of America Athletic Conference victory over Graceland University at Charles Field House Saturday afternoon.

Oetting, a four-year starter, scored 40 points to tie a 45-year record for points in a single game that was originally set by Meleia (Musgrove) Niemann on Feb. 6, 1980, in a 95-77 loss to Quincy College. 

In addition, Oetting also tied the school record for 3-point field goals made in a single game with nine treys, matching the mark set by former teammate McKenzie Lathrom set on Feb. 15, 2023, also against Graceland.

Oetting, who leads the Wildcats in scoring at 15.3 points per game, went 15-for-22 from the field, including 9-for-12 from outside the 3-point arc. She scored 27 of her 40 points in the second half.

With her scoring outburst, Oetting also moved inside the top 10 of all-time scorer's at Culver-Stockton, moving past Wildcat Hall-of-Famer Carrie Lynn (Connell) Mahon, for 10 spot. Oetting now has 1,290 career points.

With the help of Oetting's long-range shooting, the Wildcats matched the school team record for 3-pointers made in a game with 15, set earlier this season against Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) on Oct. 30. 

The game was never in doubt as the Wildcats scored the first 12 points of the game and led 26-10 after one quarter. C-SC also scored 26 points in the second quarter, 28 points in the third quarter and 26 points in the fourth quarter.

The Wildcats shot a season-high 55.1 percent from the field and was 50 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. C-SC also missed just two free throws in the game, going 15-for-17 from the free throw line.

In addition to Oetting, three other players scored in double figures with Misora Nambara leading the way with 15 points. Chloe Burnham came off the bench to tally 14 markers, while Allysa O'Conner totaled 11 points.

Burnham set her Wildcat high for assists with six to lead the Wildcats, who. had a season-high 28 assist in the game. Nambara added five helpers while Camryn Caldwell and Paige Henson set their season-highs in assists with five and four, respectively. Henson also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.

C-SC, now 9-6 overall and 3-4 in the Heart, is scheduled to host Missouri Baptist University this Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Charles Field House. Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m.