Women's Basketball 1/16/2014 8:40:00 PM

OBU rallies past OCU 85-79

Stars fall in NAIA game of the week

Yvonte Neal provided OCU with 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals Thursday.

Box Score
SHAWNEE, Okla. – Oklahoma Baptist came back for an 85-79 win over Oklahoma City University on Thursday at the Noble Complex in the NAIA Division I women's basketball game of the week.
Jalissa Council put together 31 points for sixth-ranked Oklahoma Baptist (13-2, 7-0 Sooner Athletic Conference). Autumn Lau produced 28 points for third-ranked Oklahoma City (9-2, 6-1 SAC).
Oklahoma City had its 35-game conference winning streak snapped as well as a 24-game SAC road win string ended. The Stars suffered their first league loss on the road since a 73-70 setback Feb. 12, 2011.
Council had 23 after intermission and shot 13-for-18 from the field overall. Lau, a senior from Mount Wolf, Pa., sank five treys. Yvonte Neal added 17 points, seven rebounds, and two steals for the Stars.
Oklahoma Baptist came up a game-turning 7-0 run in the final 2:44. Council had free throws with 2:27 remaining to break a 73-73 tie, then a bucket for a 77-73 OBU advantage with 1:47 left. The Lady Bison led 80-73 on a Charity Fowler 3-point play with 1:16 left.
In the second half, Oklahoma Baptist shot 62.9 percent from the floor, while Oklahoma City sank 40 percent. OCU had shot 50 percent from the field and held OBU to 32.1 percent shooting in the first period.
OBU reeled off an 11-0 run to cut its deficit to 45-39 with 17:39 remaining. Fowler had six points for the Lady Bison during that span.
Neal answered with a putback and a 3-pointer to put OCU up 56-45 with 13:13 to go. Oklahoma Baptist had a 7-0 run that as Allie Brandenburg's free throw cut the OCU edge to 56-52 at the 11:21 mark.
Lau scored for a 69-63 Stars lead with 6:59 to go. OBU had the game's next six points as Council tied the game 69-69 on a free throw with 5:24 left. Lau responded with a 3-point play for a 72-69 OCU cushion at the 4:42 mark.
Council stuck back-to-back baskets that put Oklahoma Baptist in front 73-72 with 3:46 showing. Kayla MacKenzie sank a free throw to knot the score 73-73 with 2:44 left.
OCU's high point of the game came during a 17-0 splurge that broke a 28-28 tie at the 5:40 mark of the first half. Oklahoma Baptist went scoreless for 4:16 during that time, committing seven turnovers in the final five minutes of the first period.
Cara Pugh came up with a steal out of an OCU backcourt trap, then fed Autumn Huffman on a drive to the basket. Huffman put the Stars ahead 37-28 with 3:04 left. Pugh added free throws that pushed OCU's lead into double digits at 39-28 with 2:50 to go.
The Stars face Mid-America Christian at 3 p.m. Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena. The 2013-14 OCU Athletic Hall of Fame class will be recognized during a luncheon 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

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