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."
1. March 2, 1990: Oklahoma Christian men 78, Oklahoma City 77, NAIA District 9 first-round game, Eagles' Nest. Former OCU coach Abe Lemons was legendary for his combination of humor, one-liners and shoot-from-the-hip quotes, as well as his full-court game plan, tenacious defense and run-and-gun offense. But Oklahoma Christian denied him the crowning achievement of reaching 600 career victories in this classic game.
From the pages of The Oklahoman:
By Murray Evans
The Oklahoman
Oklahoma Christian basketball coach Dan Hays knew he'd be the answer to an Abe Lemons trivia question.
Hays will go down as the coach who kept the legendary OCU mentor from reaching the 600-win plateau, as OCC squeaked out a 78-77 win Friday night in a classic District 9 men's first-round playoff game before about 2,000 fans at OCC.
The loss ends the storied career of the 67-year-old Lemons, who is retiring after 34 years as a head coach with an overall record of 599-343.
"At least I'm not the Al Downing who dished it up to him,'' Hays said, referring to the pitcher who delivered the ball Hank Aaron hit for home run No. 715. "Abe will go down in basketball history as a legend. He's had a tremendous impact on a lot of coaches.''
For his part, Lemons thought the game's decisive call, a foul on OCU's Tim Griffin that sent Terrance Gaines to the line for the game-winning free throw with :04 left, was pathetic.
"It makes you glad you're not in it anymore,'' Lemons said. "That 'foul' wouldn't have killed a gnat. I won't miss the referees. You can't win with them.''
Mark Chambers forged a 77-77 tie for the Chiefs, done at 18-13, with a 17-footer with 40 seconds left.
Gaines dribbled near midcourt until the 10-second mark. He then drove around Charles Weekly and put up a 12-foot fallaway with :04 left while being fouled by Griffin. Or was he?
"He made a good block,'' Gaines said. "If they were going to call anything, they could've called Weekly on the floor.''
"You can't catch the ball and fall down without walking,'' Lemons said. "We could've beat those guys tonight. They were playing dull. We just went in the tank. Two people play, and one of them gets beat. It just happened to be us tonight.''
Gaines made the second free throw, and Chambers missed from about 40 feet at the buzzer.
With the victory, OCC advances into Monday's district semifinals at State Fair Arena against Oral Roberts University. But the Eagles, 22-9, had to rally after trailing for much of the second half.
OCC led 41-38 at halftime behind 13 of Cary Manek's team-high 22 points. OCU went ahead for the first time, 42-41, on Chambers' lay-in 46 seconds into the second half.
After three more lead changes, a seven-footer by Chambers (25 points) put OCU up 46-45 with 18:06 left. That bucket started an 8-1 run, which Weekly capped with a seven-footer from the baseline that made it 52-46 with 15:18 left.
Weekly's 3-pointer at the 5:21 mark gave OCU (which committed 19 turnovers) a 68-64 edge, but Todd Duncan's lay-in with 4:02 left put the Eagles up for good, 71-70.
Top 10 OC-OCU games:
1. OC men 78, OCU 77 in 1990
2. OCU 92, OC men 91 in 1994. (Click here for the game details)
3. OC men 82, OCU 81 in 1986. (Click here for the game details)
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)
