OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (Jan. 13, 2011) – The Oklahoma Christian women's basketball team fell to rival Oklahoma Baptist University in the Nest on Thursday night when they came up short 86-82 in overtime.
The Lady Eagles fell to an early nine-point deficit to the Lady Bison, as Oklahoma Baptist took to a 13-4 lead in the first few minutes of the half. A determined OC women's team did not give in easily, however, as the Lady Eagles responded with a 15-4 run to take a two-point lead with 10:23 left in to play.
Less than a minute later, the Lady Eagles pushed the lead to three points, before the Lady Bison retaliated with an 8-0 run to put OC at a five-point deficit with 6:39 left in the period.
Again the Lady Eagles responded, as they tied things up at 29-29 and later regained the lead at 33-32 with just 2:15 till the half.
Despite taking the lead, two back-to-back three pointers from the OBU women before time expired left the Lady Eagles at a five-point deficit as they headed to the locker room.
Through the first part of the second half, the Lady Eagles struggled against the OBU women as they fell to a 10-point deficit less than four minutes in.
Still trailing by 10 points, with 14:11 still to play, the Lady Eagles put up an 11-3 run to cut the margin to just two points with 11:31 showing on the clock.
With 7:40 left in regulation, the OC women took the lead at 60-59, before falling back to a five-point deficit minutes later.
The Lady Eagles trailed the remainder of the half, until OC's Katy Clift nailed a long three-pointer with just nine seconds left to tie the game up at 73-73 and send it into overtime.
Right off the bat into the overtime period, the Lady Eagles' Katy O'Steen put up a basket to take the lead before the Lady Bison responded with a 6-0 run to take a four-point lead they did not give up. With 15 second left on the clock, the OBU women created a six-point advantage but a three pointer from Clift cut the difference to three. A final free throw from OBU left the game in the Lady Bison's hands with an 86-82 point victory.
Despite the loss, O'Steen and Carli Covalt both took away 22-point games while O'Steen grabbed 11 rebounds and Covalt managed four assists.
Clift and fellow guard, Ayanna Jackson, made major contributions as well with Clift totaling 15 points for the evening and Jackson scoring 13 of her own.
The loss leaves the Lady Eagles to an 8-9 season record and at 2-7 for conference play. The OC basketball teams will travel to Shawnee, Okla. on Saturday to take on Saint Gregory's University in a double header with the women tipping off at 6 p.m. and the men following at 8 p.m.
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