LUBBOCK, Texas (Jan. 24, 2009) – Hillary Duncan scored a career-high 17 points, but Oklahoma Christian University fell 54-45 at No. 12 Lubbock Christian University (Texas) on Saturday afternoon.

Duncan finished the game 8-of-10 from the field before fouling out with less than a minute left in the game. The double-figure scoring effort is the Tulsa, Okla., native's fifth in OC's last six games. Duncan also added six rebounds and two assists in the loss.

The Lady Eagles had a much-improved effort from Thursday night, when they lost 57-38 at Wayland Baptist (Texas). The 38 points were an all-time single-game low in OC program history.

OC's defense was solid all day against LCU, as the Lady Chaps shot just 32 percent (16-of-49) from the field. But the Lady Eagles' shooting problems continued with a 17-of-54, 31-percent day from the floor.

OC is now 12-7 and 5-6 in Sooner Athletic Conference games. LCU moved to 16-3 and 9-2.

LCU jumped out to an 8-2 lead on Saturday, but OC went on a 10-2 run, and took a two-point lead (12-10) on a Jordan Findley putback with 10:50 to play.

The Lady Eagles went the next seven-plus minutes without a bucket though, opening the door for the Lady Chaps to retake the lead.

OC's scoring drought ended when Duncan sunk a pullup jumper at the 3:35 mark to make it 17-14 LCU. Then with only six seconds left in the half, Haley Myers buried a fastbreak three pointer, and the Lady Chaps led 22-17 at the break.

LCU wasted little time building a 10-point lead in the second half as Jordan Hampton scored five-straight points, and the Lady Chaps went up 27-17 by the 18:42 mark.

LCU pushed its lead up to 14 points before a 12-2 Lady Eagle run got OC right back in the hunt. Myers kicked off the rally with another trey, and Devin Sewell capped it with a triple at 11:02 to make it a 34-31 ballgame.

Then LCU scored the next eight points and were back up by 10 (43-33) by the seven-minute mark. But the Lady Eagles refused to quit, and the score was 43-38 when Kelsey Kniffin hit a three with 4:32 left.

It was a five-point game again (48-43) when Duncan scored in the paint with 2:43 to play. Then Brittney Kennedy hit a baseline jumper as the shot clock expired, and OC was within 48-45 with two minutes to play.

But after working the shot clock down, LCU got an offensive rebound, and Hampton hit 1-of-2 free throws with 1:09 left. After an empty Lady Eagle possession on the other end, Sierra Lovorn penetrated and scored with 39 seconds showing, putting LCU on top 51-45.

Three more Lady Chap free throws in the closing 15 seconds sealed it as LCU won for the third-straight game.

Despite going only 3-of-12 from the floor, Kennedy had a solid game with 12 points and nine rebounds. She hit 6-of-6 from the free-throw line and the Lady Eagles made 7-of-8 as a team. Ashley Coggins paced LCU with 16 points.

The Lady Eagles return home on Jan. 29 to play St. Gregory's (Okla.) at 6 p.m.

-OC-