OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University extended its winning streak to 18 games with a 95-58 rout of USAO on Monday evening inside Abe Lemons Arena.

The Stars, ranked sixth in NAIA Division I women's basketball, controlled the game on the defensive end, forcing USAO into 28 turnovers and scoring 37 points off those turnovers. OCU improved to 24-3, 19-1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference with the victory.

“I thought the first five minutes of the game we played really well,” OCU coach Rob Edmisson said. “After that we really put it into cruise control for the rest of the first half. I was proud of the fact that we came back in the second half re-energized. We have two more games down in Texas and we have to find a way to win those games.”

Laura Duncan, a senior from Edmond, Okla., led the way for OCU in her final home game with a season-high 18 points. Duncan made 4 of 8 shots from 3-point range to ignite the Stars' offense in the first half.

“I thought she came out and shot it really well,” Edmisson said of Duncan. “That is the Laura Duncan that we hoped to see all year long. If she continues to play like that the rest of the year, we're going to be tough to guard.”

Starr Fairbanks, a junior from Cincinnati, and Lauren Gober, a freshman from Newcastle, Okla., each totaled 12 points. Chontaye Walter, a senior from Oklahoma City, chipped in 11 points and nine assists.

OCU put the game away with a 21-6 run over nine minutes midway through the second half. During that stretch OCU held USAO scoreless for 3:49, scoring 11 unanswered points. K.J. Johnson capped the run on a layup with 7:53 remaining to give the Stars a 75-45 advantage.

The Stars built a 19-4 lead in the first half behind the play of Duncan, who scored eight early points. Duncan hit her second 3-pointer of the game to give OCU the 15-point lead with 13:23 to play in the first half.

USAO cut the OCU lead to eight points at 37-29 on a layup from Elisa Ogawa with 20 seconds remaining before halftime. Brett Bates answered with a jumper before the buzzer to give OCU a 39-29 advantage at the break.