OKLAHOMA CITY ? Viola Beybeyah sank the go-ahead basket as Oklahoma City University staved off a late Oklahoma Baptist charge in a 69-66 win Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena.
Beybeyah hit a layup to give the Stars a 59-58 edge with 2:51 left. Beybeyah?s bucket was part of an 11-0 run that put OCU up 65-58 with a minute remaining.
Lena Brenning gave Oklahoma Baptist a 58-54 advantage with 3:51 left in the game.
OCU, ranked 10th in NAIA Division I women?s basketball, improved to 16-4, 5-4 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Oklahoma Baptist is 10-8, 4-4.
With a minute left, Zanita Johnson nabbed a steal then went all the way for a layup to finish off the decisive 11-0 run.
?Our kids showed character coming back,? OCU coach Rob Edmisson said. ?We had crucial steals. I?m happy for our kids. Our team had to find its self-confidence back.?
OCU trailed by as much as seven points early in the game. Brenning put Oklahoma Baptist ahead for the first in the second half on a trey to make it 51-50 OBU with 8:25 left.
Alexandra Kotta, a 5-foot-11 senior from Germantown, Md., had 18 points, hitting 7 of 14 from the field. Chelsea Ledbetter, a 5-8 sophomore from Norman, Okla., added 18 points, six rebounds and two steals.
?Alex showed poise,? Edmisson said. ?Her shot selection was better. This was pretty much a must-have game.?
OCU faces Wayland Baptist (Texas) at 6 p.m. Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena.