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."
4. Jan. 23, 1999: Oklahoma Christian men 64, Oklahoma City 61, Eagles' Nest. Oklahoma Christian rallies to move to 20-0 behind Jay Mauck's 22 points, staking the Eagles' claim to being the No. 1 team in the NAIA.
From the pages of The Oklahoman:
By John Helsey
The Oklahoman
Once before the chants of "We're No. 1" had been heard at the Oklahoma Christian gym. They began again Saturday night.
After trailing by five at the 2:13 mark, the Eagles scored the last eight points of the game, rallying past No. 10 Oklahoma City 64-61 and officially staking their claim to the top spot in the NAIA rankings.
OC, owning the best start in school history at 20-0, was ranked second last week. But top-ranked Incarnate Word (Texas) was beaten 63-62 by Texas Wesleyan on Thursday, and now the Eagles can proclaim it.
Oklahoma Christian was ranked No. 1 in the first regular season poll of 1978.
"We'll be No. 1," said OC coach Dan Hays. "And I guess we deserve it. We haven't been beaten."
Indeed, they haven't. But they were pushed to the brink Saturday night, before Jay Mauck made it happen again for the Eagles.
OCU used a 7-0 run – getting all seven points from Kevin Stagner – at the midway point of the second half to go ahead 47-40, and held the lead until the final minute.
The Chiefs owned their biggest lead at 59-53 with 2:51 remaining, when Mauck began to take over, although OCU didn't know it was happening at the time.
Mauck, who finished with 22 points, had 13 at the time, but fired in a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 59-56. OCU center Eric Lee scored on a jumper to make it 61-56 with 2:13 left, but the Chiefs didn't score again.
Mauck drilled another trey to make it 61-59, then hit one of two free throws to cut the lead to 61-60 with 1:28 to play.
That was OCU's last lead. After a Chiefs miss, Mauck dribbled free at the other end, drove to the middle and pulled up to toss in a jumper in the lane, sending the Eagles ahead 62-61 with 55 seconds left.
OCU had two chances to tie, but a turnover and a Juan Bragg miss led to a foul and two Kevin Jones free throws that gave the Eagles a 64-61 lead with nine seconds showing.
When Bragg missed on a 3-pointer at the other end, the chants began.
Mauck finished 7-of-13 from the field with four 3-pointers. But he was 3-of-4 at crunch time, with two treys.
"He's a marked man every night out," said Hays. "And he makes the plays down the stretch. I didn't think it was Jay's best game, but those last few minutes were as good as it gets."
OC improved to 5-0 in the Sooner Athletic Conference, remaining tied with Oklahoma Baptist, which visits the Oklahoma Christian gym Thursday night. The Chiefs dropped to 16-3 overall, 3-2 in league play.
Craig Frazier added 12 points for the Eagles, while Rob Seat had 11. Their contribution was critical, with OC big men Les Pyeatt and Jones combining for only 15 points.
Marco Wooten led the Chiefs with 12 points, while Bragg and Eric Lee had 10 each.
Top 10 OC-OCU games:
1. TBA
2. TBA
3. TBA
4. OC men 64, OCU 61 in 1999.
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)
