OKLAHOMA CITY - Top-ranked Oklahoma City University held off Wayland Baptist (Texas) 86-74 on Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena.
Rateska Brown, a senior from Alvin, S.C., was the game's leading scorer with 28 points. The Stars improved to 5-1, 2-0 in Sooner Athletic Conference play, while Wayland Baptist fell to 4-4, 1-1 in women's basketball.
Oklahoma City held an 11-point lead with 14:39 to play in the first half. Wayland Baptist went on a 12-1 run to tie the game at 22 apiece with 9:12 left in the half.
The game was tied two other times during the first half, but the Stars took a six-point lead into halftime.
The Stars went on a 10-2 run to start the second half to extend the lead to 14. Wayland Baptist scored 13 of the 17 points scored in a four-minute stretch to pull within one point with 7:56 to play.
OCU closed the game with a 20-10 run to put the game out of reach.
Brown added nine steals and five assists. She also nailed six 3-pointers in the game.
Catherine Kruschke, a junior from Dublin, Calif., scored a season-high 18 points and snatched eight rebounds. Ouleymatou Coulibaly, a senior from Bamako, Mali, West Africa, contributed 16 points and four rebounds.
"We had great teamwork - everyone contributed," OCU coach Latricia Trammell said. "I am very proud of Catherine. Everyone stepped up when we needed them to."
The Stars host Evangel (Mo.) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Abe Lemons Arena.