OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University battled all night, but ultimately fell short in its Sooner Athletic Conference opener 77-70 against Mid-America Christian at the Gaulke Activity Center on Saturday.
The Stars, ranked 12th in NAIA Division I men's basketball, suffered their second consecutive loss, moving to 6-2 overall and 0-1 in SAC play. No. 22 Mid-America Christian improved to 7-2, 2-0 in the SAC. Terence Bonhomme, a senior from St. Martinville, La., paced OCU with 17 points and six rebounds.
Mid-America Christian took control in the early going of Saturday's game, stretching its lead to a dozen with just under seven minutes left in the first half. Oklahoma City responded with a 10-5 run and was able to cut the deficit to seven at the half.
The Stars tightened up the defense and began the second half on an 11-4 run to tie the game at 44. Mid-America Christian regained its offensive rhythm and came back with a 14-2 run of its own, building a 12-point lead with around 11 minutes to go. OCU fought back by scoring eight unanswered to slice the Evangels' lead to four with eight minutes left.
The two teams mostly traded baskets for the remainder of Saturday's contest. Oklahoma City finished the game shooting 35.2 percent from the field and 28.0 percent from beyond the arc, while MACU shot 47.4 from the field and 38.7 percent from downtown.
Elijah Christman, a junior from Justin, Texas, added 14 points and eight rebounds for OCU. Samuel Williams was one point shy of earning his second double-double of the season, producing nine points and grabbing 11 boards on Saturday.
Despite the loss, Oklahoma City outscored Mid-America Christian in points in the paint (34-20), points off turnovers (15-8) and second-chance points (17-7). The Stars also dominated their opponent on the glass, outrebounding the Evangels 43-30.
OCU plays next against USAO at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday at Abe Lemons Arena.