BETHANY, Okla. – Lauren Gober nailed a jumper with 5.3 seconds remaining to propel No. 6 Oklahoma City University past Southern Nazarene 75-74 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament at the Sawyer Center.
The Stars (27-3) outlasted SNU in a game which saw four lead changes in the final minute, capped by Gober's game-winner. OCU, winners of 21 straight games, rallied from a second-half deficit to defeat Southern Nazarene for the third time this season. The Stars will meet third-seeded Lubbock Christian in the conference semifinals on Friday at 3 p.m.
Gober, a freshman from Newcastle, Okla., tallied 17 points, three assists and four steals to lead the way for OCU. Starr Fairbanks, a junior from Cincinnati, scored 15 points in the second half to finish with 17 points.
Laura Duncan, a senior from Edmond, Okla., added 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Duncan is now seven points shy of reaching 1,000 points in her career at OCU. K.J. Johnson, a junior from Portland, Ore., chipped in 13 points and four rebounds.
The Stars trailed 68-59 with 4:40 remaining in the game before making the comeback.
OCU scored seven consecutive points to take a 71-70 lead with 1:47 to play. Fairbanks fueled the run with four points to pull the Stars to within two at 70-68 with 2:54 left in the game. Gober connected on a free throw, then Duncan capped the run with a pair of free throws to give OCU the lead.
After SNU grabbed the lead back, Chontaye Walter banked in a layup with 31.8 seconds left to pull OCU back in front 73-72. Lana Keith answered with a layup to put Southern Nazarene back in front at 74-73 with 21.2 seconds remaining. Keith finished with a game-high 33 points to pace the Crimson Storm.
OCU scored the first eight points of the game and built an early 15-6 lead behind a strong defensive effort. Gober hit a 3-pointer with 16:05 remaining in the half to put the Stars up 15-6.
OCU led 30-27 with 4:58 left before SNU reeled off 10 consecutive points to take a 37-30 lead into the break. The Stars went without a field goal in the final 6:21 of the half.
Boxscore
Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament
At Bethany, Okla.
Sawyer Center
WOMEN
Thursday's Games
Game 1: Lubbock Christian 68, Wayland Baptist 64
Game 2: Rogers State 60, Oklahoma Christian 55
Game 3: Oklahoma Baptist 76, Northwestern Oklahoma State 33
Game 4: Oklahoma City 75, Southern Nazarene 74
Friday's Games
Game 5: Rogers State vs. Oklahoma Baptist, 1 p.m.
Game 6: Lubbock Christian vs. Oklahoma City, 3 p.m.
Saturday's Game
Championship
Game 7: Semifinal winners, 4 p.m.
