OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 18, 2021) – There are good teams at all levels of college basketball, as the Oklahoma Christian Lady Eagles were reminded of in painful fashion on Thursday.

Champion Christian (Ark.), which won last season's National Christian College Athletic Association Division II title, rode a 31-point performance from Aaliyah Clark to a 78-74 upset of NCAA Division II OC in the Lady Eagles' season opener in the Eagles' Nest.

OC (0-1) picked up a pair of double-doubles from second-year freshman forward Brooklin Bain (21 points, 12 rebounds, four assists) and junior center Kendall Blackburn (16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds) but the Lady Eagles fought from behind most of the game because they shot 37.2 percent from the field.

"They're a good team," OC coach Stephanie Findley said of Champion Christian. "We didn't start out tough enough. Digging a hole in the first quarter will get you behind. They were red-hot in the first half and it's just too much of an uphill climb to make. We were fouling them too much and putting them on the line. That doesn't give you the chance to get back in it. We're not being aggressive going to the rim. We've got to get better at that."

OC only led during the first 70 seconds of the game. An early 16-3 run by the Tigers put them in control and they remained in that position most of the rest of the way. Bain fueled a 12-3 second-quarter run that pulled OC even at 22-22, but Destiny Gonzalez (who scored 19 points to go with 10 rebounds) and Sckiya Banister each hit a 3-pointer as the Tigers answered with an 8-0 run of their own. They led 38-29 at halftime.

Champion Christian's lead peaked at 49-36 with 5:40 left in the third quarter on one of Clark's five 3-pointers. OC's best stretch of the game came during a subsequent 14-2 run and a 3-pointer by freshman point guard Kate Bradley – who scored 16 points – pulled the Lady Eagles within 51-50 with 1:32 left in the quarter.

Clark then buried a prayer – a 25-foot 3-point heave – and got loose for a 19-foot 2-pointer that rebuild the Tigers' lead. OC kept the pressure on and was within 64-62 with 5:10 left, but again Clark hit a 3-pointer. Consecutive 3-pointers by Kendra Levings brought the Lady Eagles within 71-69 with 1:48 left, but OC managed only two more baskets and the Tigers hit just enough free throws – 6 of 10 – to hold on.

A 3-pointer by Bradley with 8.7 seconds left pulled OC within 76-74 and Alyisa Pickett made only 1 of 2 free throws at the other end with 7.7 seconds left, giving the Eagles a final chance, but a rushed 3-point attempt from the corner by Bain missed and Clark rebounded for Champion Christian. She made the front end of a two-shot free-throw opportunity with 1.5 seconds left to seal the win.

OC will visit nonconference foe Northwestern Oklahoma State on Tuesday before returning home next Saturday to face Southeastern Oklahoma State. Both Northwestern and Southeastern compete in the Great American Conference.