Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 28, 2017) – There were a lot of "most since" statistics for Oklahoma Christian on Tuesday night against Manhattan Christian (Kan.), thanks in good part to the Eagles' senior sharpshooter, Elijah Strickland.

Strickland posted his first career double-double with career highs in points (33) and rebounds (10) and the Eagles shot a sizzling 62.1 percent from 3-point range and canned 18 treys while trouncing the Thunder 118-79 in the Eagles' Nest.

OC (2-4) scored its most points since a 127-77 rout of Hillsdale Baptist (now Randall) on Nov. 1, 2010, and set a program single-game record for the NCAA Division II era, which began with the 2012-13 season. The Eagles just missed the school record for single-game 3-point percentage (66.7, set vs. Texas Lutheran on Nov. 4, 1992) and total 3-pointers (20, vs. Messenger (Mo.) on Jan. 16, 2002).

"We've been due," OC men's basketball coach Cory Cole said. "We struggled to make shots on the road. We struggled at home here against (Central Oklahoma). It's good to see it all just come together. It just shows our guys are locked in and they're trusting the process. It just came to fruition tonight at home in a big, big way."

Strickland finished 9 of 13 from 3-point range, just missing one of the storied records in OC history – the 11-of-13 3-point shooting effort put on by future NAIA player of the year Jay Mauck in a win over Athens State (Ala.) in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 6, 1997.

"I can't say enough about Elijah," Cole said. "He's been working since last summer just to improve his game and be more committed to what he needs to do for our program. Tonight it was a culmination of him getting into a rhythm, guys finding him and him having that killer instinct. He's one of the best shooters, in my opinion, in the country. It was good to see him get in that groove."

But Strickland wasn't the only Eagle hot from behind the arc. Junior guard Jordan Box hit 5 of 7 3-pointers, while Charles Shaw was 2 for 2 and Conner Johnson was 2 for 3. All told, the Eagles hit 18 of their 29 3-point attempts.

Six Eagles scored in double figures – Strickland, Box (19 points, five assists), Shaw (13 points, six assists), Miroslav Jaksic (12 points, three blocked shots), Larry Kuimi (11 points, seven rebounds) and Roderick Smith (10 points, nine rebounds). All 11 OC players who saw action scored at least two points.

OC also outrebounded the smaller Manhattan Christian squad by a whopping 56-28 margin.

"We've been stressing just sharing the ball and to go one more (pass)," Cole said. "That's what our team needed to see – that trust in action and guys knocking down the shots coming off assists. It was good to see our guys continue to bond and build and play well together."

It took awhile for the Eagles to shake the pesky Thunder, who treated the game as an exhibition. Sheldon Williams had 25 points for Manhattan Christian and his three-point play with 12:24 left in the first half tied the game at 18-18 after several early lead changes.

Jaksic started a subsequent 14-0 run by the Eagles that included four baskets off offensive rebounds, including a dunk by Kuimi that made it 32-18. OC continued stretching its lead and was up 60-34 at halftime after Strickland made a 3-pointer in the final seconds.

Manhattan Christian was within 83-62 with 9:49 left, but an 8-0 spurt fueled by a pair of 3-pointers by Strickland pushed the lead back out to a comfortable margin. OC eventually led by as many as 41 points.

The Eagles blew past the 100-point mark on two free throws by Strickland with 5:56 left.

Trey Young added 15 points for Manhattan Christian, while Antonio Anderson had 13 and Isaiah Dobbins had 12.

OC will open Heartland Conference play at home on Saturday at 3 p.m. against Newman (Kan.).

Cory Cole discusses the game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf_guIaGo2c&feature=youtu.be