ALVA, Okla. (Feb. 3, 2009) – A 16-point halftime deficit was too much for Oklahoma Christian University to overcome in a 73-49 loss at Northwestern Oklahoma State on Tuesday night.

Jason Taylor checked in another quality effort for Oklahoma Christian by eclipsing his season average of 22.7 points per game with 24 points in only 28 minutes of action.

OC falls to 16-6 and 9-5 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. NWOSU moved to 14-8 and 9-5 in the SAC. It was just the fourth loss in the Eagles' last 15 games with the Rangers.

After Taylor was saddled with two early fouls, NWOSU outscored OC 17-6 in the first 10 minutes of Tuesday night's game and never trailed at Percefull Fieldhouse. The Rangers led by as many as 19 points (32-13) in the half as the Eagles struggled to find an offensive rhythm. 

OC finally made a small push under the three-minute mark thanks to a Jeff Crocker runner in the lane with 2:43 left, and a Michael Hill and-one layup at 2:16 to make it a 34-20 game.

It was 37-21 NWOSU at the half after the Rangers shot 48 percent (14-of-29) from the field in the first 20 minutes. The Rangers made 6-of-14 first-half three-point attempts, compared to a 1-of-9 effort from the Eagles. OC was just 7-of-23 from the field at intermission.

NWOSU's 16-point halftime lead grew to 21 points (44-23) by the 16:20 mark of the final stanza. OC never got inside 16 points in the half, and the Rangers led by as many as 27.

Taylor scored 16 points in the second half alone, while David Jackson dropped eight in the period. Crocker finished the game with eight points and six assists.

The Rangers red-hot night from the field finished at 28-of-57 total for 49-percent shooting. NWOSU hit 12-of-27 three-point tries for 44 percent. The Eagles were 19-of-51 from the field for 37 percent.

OC can erase Tuesday's loss from its memory with an upset of No. 1 Rogers State (Okla.) on Thursday in Claremore. The Eagles and Hillcats will tip at 8 p.m. inside the Claremore Expo Center.

-OC-