Box Score CANYON, Texas (Dec. 6, 2014) – If West Texas A&M is among the NCAA Division II elite – and there's little doubt about that, seeing as how the Buffaloes were the national runners-up last season – then Oklahoma Christian apparently isn't too far from joining them.

The Lady Eagles – with two key players, including a starter, out due to injury – threw a scare into No. 7-ranked WTAMU, leading into the second half before eventually succumbing 83-70 at the First United Bank Center.

OC fell to 2-5, but that record is deceptive as the Lady Eagles just finished what might be the toughest three-game stretch they'll see this season, one that included games against No. 18 Washburn (Kan.), unbeaten Arkansas Tech (who jumped into the top 25 after beating OC) and West Texas A&M (6-1).

Led by McKenzie Stanford (21 points, eight rebounds) and Kaitlyn Morris (12 points on 4-of-8 3-point shooting), OC hung with West Texas A&M for long stretches, shooting a solid 45.1 percent from the field (23 of 51), outrebounding the Buffs 35-30 and keeping the result in doubt until the final minutes.

The Lady Eagles' undoing proved to be turnovers – they had 31 of them, which led to 36 points for West Texas A&M.

"We played as good of a first half as we've played in a long time," OC coach Stephanie Findley said. "I'm really excited to see us shoot like I know we can. Kat (Morris) and McKenzie got us off to a good start, but turnovers and a few defensive breakdowns cost us the game."

Quick 3-pointers by Stanford and Morris within the first two minutes staked OC to an 8-2 lead. Morris had all four of her 3-pointers in the first half to keep the Lady Eagles either close or slightly ahead and two free throws by Skyler Newberry at the end of the half sent OC into intermission ahead 39-37.

OC extended its lead to 40-37 early in the second half, but West Texas A&M soon eased ahead. A three-point play by Stanford with 17:34 left tied the game at 45-45, but the Buffs scored six straight points – four by Sasha Watson, who led her team with 22 points – and weren't headed after that.

West Texas A&M's lead was single digits as late as the 10-minute mark of the second half, after a layup by Audrey Hayes pulled OC within 63-55. But a 3-pointer by Michaela Neuhaus put the Buffs up by 11 with 9:42 left and they eventually led by as many as 19 points before a late OC rally cut the final margin to 13.

The Lady Eagles played without senior guard Logan McKee, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the loss to Arkansas Tech, and junior guard Emma Gade. Junior Jasmine Hinton made her first career start for OC.

Aisha Martin added nine points (hitting 2-of-5 3-point attempts) and five rebounds for OC. West Texas A&M had five players score in double figures, including Watson, Danielle Logan (15 points), Ariel Robertson (14 points), Neuhaus (13 points) and Haylee Oliver (10 points). The Buffs shot 50.8 percent from the field (31 of 61).

OC will be off until next Friday, when the Lady Eagles will host crosstown rival Mid-America Christian in a rematch of last season's National Christian College Athletic Association Central Region title game, won by OC.