With Oklahoma Christian and Oklahoma City University renewing their rivalry on Saturday when OC visits OCU, we're highlighting the top five basketball games in the schools' head-to-head history.
As you read about the buzzer-beaters, outstanding players and the throw-out-the-records results, you'll see why the rivalry has become known as the "Backyard Brawl."
3. Feb. 11, 1986: Oklahoma Christian men 82, Oklahoma City 81, Frederickson Fieldhouse. Collis Clark played the hero for Oklahoma Christian on this day and others during the 1985-86 season. This time, Clark nailed a 30-foot buzzer-beating shot to beat OCU. Oklahoma Christian coach Dan Hays said, "That's got to be one of the best basketball games I've been involved in in a long, long time."
From the pages of The Oklahoman:
By Volney Meece
The Oklahoman
Collis Clark's do-or-die, 30-foot shot settled into the cords as the buzzer sounded to vault Oklahoma Christian past Oklahoma City University, 82-81, in the losers' gym Monday night. The victory vaulted Oklahoma Christian into first place in the Sooner Conference.
Clark, who'd missed the Eagles' last two games because of an ankle injury, got his chance to be the hero when Chief Chip Zumer missed the bonus shot on a one-and-one free throwing situation with seven seconds left to play. Zumer had given OCU an 81-80 lead by hitting the first free toss after a piece of Oklahoma Christian strategy appeared to have backfired.
After Tommie Bolden's two free throws tied an 80-80 knot with 53 seconds to go, the Eagles decided to go for a late shot. With eight seconds showing on the clock, lefty Doug Bradley, who already had 25 points, pulled the trigger on a 10-footer from the side.
It went in but popped out and disaster seemed to have struck the Eagles when Bradley went after the rebound and was called for fouling Zumer. That turned out to be a break instead of a disaster, however, as Zumer missed his second free shot and Clark goaled from outside, firing from near the left sideline.
Oklahoma Christian, which earlier had shaded the Chiefs, 65-64, in the Oklahoma Christian gym, improved to 6-1 in the conference to OCU's 6-2.
Oklahoma Christian coach Dan Hays, asked if this put the Eagles in the driver's seat with three games to go, said, "Not at all. If we can win the rest of 'em, yeah, but OCU's still in it. But this lets us control our own destiny and not have to worry about somebody else knocking OCU off.''
However, when OCU head man Abe Lemons was asked what the Eagles' victory did to the conference race, he said, "It makes them the winner. There's no way we can beat 'em. And I don't see how anybody can beat 'em if they play the way they did tonight.''
Lemons pointed out Bradley fouled the right Chief since Zumer was a 58.3 percent free throw shooter.
Hays said, "I'm just glad we were able to have the score close and have a chance to control our own destiny late in the game. I felt like when we went for the one shot Bradley got a real good one. It looked like it was in and out. I said, "Hey, the kids did what they were supposed to do. Maybe it's just not in the cards.' ''
Hays added with a smile, "I'm not so sure Bradley's 'dumb' foul wasn't a smart foul, simply because we would get a chance to put the ball back in our own hands again. Zumer, percentage-wise, is not a real good free throw shooter. But I don't think Bradley was thinking that.''
The 2,500 spectators saw Oklahoma Christian lead by eight points on three early occasions but fall behind by eight at 60-52 with 13:40 remaining. Rodney Fergason, who had 18 points, tied it at 68 at the 7:22 point and there were six more deadlocks. Clark had 16 points as Oklahoma Christian shot 61 percent from the floor.
OCU hit 64 percent with Bolden downing 13 of 18 tries en route to 29 points. Luther Burks contributed 20 points and Thomas Donnerson 14.
Hays said, "That's got to be one of the best basketball games I've been involved in in a long, long time. I'm glad we had Clark tonight. We had to have him or we would never have won.
"I thought OCU played very, very well and I thought we played well. If we play a third time somewhere down the line, I'm sure it will be just like this one.'"
Top 10 OC-OCU games:
1. TBA
2. TBA
3. OC men 82, OCU 81 in 1986.
4. OC men 64, OCU 61 in 1999. (Click here for the game details)
5. OCU 82, OC women 76 (in overtime) in 2006. (Click here for the game details)
6. OC men 65, Oklahoma City 64 in 1986. (Click here for the game details)
7. OCU men 88, OC 78 in the 1995 SAC championship game (Click here for the game details)
8. OC men 65, OCU 63 in 1993. (Click here for the game details)
9. OCU 83, OC men 72 (in overtime) in 2006. (Click here for the game details)
10. OC women 78, OCU 75 in 2005. (Click here for the game details)
