5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13

Abe Lemons Arena

THE MATCHUP: Oklahoma City University hosts rival Oklahoma Christian in the Backyard Brawl. OCU and Oklahoma Christian are tied for third place in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
OCU will celebrate Tom and Brenda McDaniel Day at the games with lookalike contests. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students. Admission is free for all OCU athletic events to OCU faculty, staff and students with their ID.

ABOUT THE STARS: OCU outlasted Northwestern Oklahoma State 78-65 on Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena. The Stars (12-7, 10-6 SAC) used an 8-0 spurt late in the second half to pull away. OCU shot 52.5 percent from the field for the game.

Chris Brown and Kavon Lytch paced the Stars with 20 points each. Brown, a 6-foot senior from Spencer, Okla., leads the team with 17.7 points per game. Lytch, a 6-7 junior from Brooklyn, N.Y., averages 14.5 points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds.

Jeremy McCarty, a 6-7 junior from Houston, notched 15 points, seven rebounds and two steals. McCarty is averaging 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds a game. Corey Bingham, a 6-3 junior from Lynn, Mass., added 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Bingham averages 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.32 steals.

OCU ranks sixth in NAIA Division I in blocked shots per game with 5.11. Bryant Williams, a 6-9 junior from Austin, Texas, leads the SAC and ranks sixth nationally with 2.32 blocks a game. Williams also is tenth in total blocks with 44.

OCU is ranked 20th in NAIA Division I. The Stars were chosen to finish sixth in SAC preseason poll. OCU has captured the SAC regular-season crown 13 times.

OCU is 44-18 against Oklahoma Christian over the years. The Stars routed Oklahoma Christian 73-50 on Jan. 14 at the Eagles Nest in Oklahoma City. Brown led the way for OCU with 19 points.

ABOUT THE EAGLES: Oklahoma Christian edged Mid-America Christian 75-73 on Thursday at the Eagles Nest. Jeff Crocker hit a last-second jumper to seal the win for Oklahoma Christian (18-6, 10-6 SAC). OC never trailed in the game and led by as many as 16 points in the second half.

Jason Taylor, a 6-8 senior, led the Eagles with 19 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. Taylor, the reigning SAC player of the year, averages team-highs of 18.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Crocker chipped in 17 points and eight assists. Crocker, a 5-11 junior, is averaging 11.3 points and 3.4 assists.

Oklahoma Christian is receiving votes in the latest NAIA Division I poll. OC was picked third in the preseason SAC poll.

ABOUT THE COACHES: Kevin Morrissey enters his first full season as OCU head coach. Morrissey spent the previous four seasons as St. Gregory's coach. He also has been an assistant at Missouri State and Texas-Pan American. Morrissey played his college ball at Oklahoma Baptist and Oral Roberts and high school at Bishop McGuinness in Oklahoma City.

Dan Hays has posted a 567-304 record in his 27th season with Oklahoma Christian. Hays, an NAIA hall of Famer, has led OC to six conference championships and seven national-tournament appearances.

QUOTABLE: "We certainly can't come in overconfident just because we beat them by 20 at their place. They're a dangerous team." – Morrissey on Oklahoma Christian

FOLLOW THE STARS: Fans can keep up on the latest on OCU athletics through several ways.

Become a fan of the Oklahoma City University Stars on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com/ocustars.

Become a follower of the OCU Stars on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ocustars.

Check out video of the Stars in action at www.youtube.com/oklahomacityuniver.

Listen to past game broadcasts and pregame and postgame interviews on the OCU pod center by clicking here.

Know when the game is happening and get scores and highlights following by calling the OCU athletics hotline at (405) 208-5400. Get conference results and highlights by calling the SAC Hotline at (405) 878-2110.