Oklahoma Christian University claimed its first Sooner Athletic Conference championship since 1999 with an 81-71 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Okla. Feb. 24.

Coach Dan Hays' Eagles, 25-4 overall and 13-4 in league play, secured their first outright title since 1989, earned an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament and cemented the No. 1 seed position in the SAC Tournament in Shawnee, March 3-7.

Sweeping the season series with Northwestern, the Eagles were led by point guard Brady Page and forward Jarred Merrill, each with 22 points. Also in double figures were guard Charles Baldwin with 16 and post Micah Miles with 10 points. Merrill led the game with nine rebounds and Page recorded seven assists.

OC took an early lead, was up 38-28 at halftime and built a 52-40 lead on Baldwin's three-pointer early in the final period. Northwestern pulled within eight, 65-57 with six minutes to play, but a three-pointer by Merrill and two more by Baldwin opened the Eagles biggest lead, 75-59 with 4:35 on the clock.

An explosive dunk by Miles and field goals by Page and Merrill sealed the victory and the championship.