Box Score SAN ANTONIO (Jan. 28, 2016) – A big break again went against Oklahoma Christian on Thursday night at St. Mary's (Texas), leading to a second straight narrow loss for the Eagles.
St. Mary's recorded a six-point possession in the final two minutes, breaking open a tight game and lifting the Rattlers to a 70-66 win over OC at Bill Greehey Arena.
The win gave St. Mary's (7-12, 3-8 Heartland Conference) a split of the season series against OC (4-15, 1-10), which had beaten the Rattlers in Oklahoma City on Jan. 2.
St. Mary's led 60-59 when Dimitri Peterson blocked a shot by OC's
Elijah Strickland and began steaming toward the other basket.
Jordan Rutherford fouled him as he shot and the ball caromed high off the backboard and into the basket with 1:20 left. Officials called an intentional foul on Rutherford.
Peterson made both free throws, banking in the first and having the second bang off the back of the rim before sailing high into the air and somehow falling into the basket. St. Mary's retained possession, and Yanni Wetzell quickly made a short jumper.
All of a sudden, the Rattlers led 66-59 and OC had to resort to the foul game. St. Mary's went 4-of-4 from the free-throw line in the final minute to seal the win.
OC led for a good portion of the second half and was up 57-52 with 9:58 left after a layup by
Daniel Eibel. Moon's layup with 6:27 left put the Eagles ahead 59-54, but OC didn't score again until Moon's layup with 1:09 left, following the Rattlers' six-point possession.
Moon, who leads the Heartland in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, did nothing to hurt his standing atop those lists, finishing with 24 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. He extended his streak of games with at least one block to 44, and it was the fourth straight game during which he recorded three or more blocks.
Strickland added 14 points and
Deric Shelton had 10 for the Eagles. Wetzell had 24 points and eight rebounds for St. Mary's, while Isaiah Parros had 11 points and Trey Hall had 10.
OC will visit league-leading Texas A&M International for a Saturday afternoon game.
