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Oklahoma City University Athletics

Oklahoma City University
Home Of Champions|73 National Championships
Samuel Williams
Samuel Williams supplied OCU with 14 points, four rebounds and four blocked shots Wednesday.
50
Xavier (La.) XULA 24-9
62
Winner Oklahoma City University OCU 24-8
Xavier (La.) XULA
24-9
50
Final
62
Oklahoma City University OCU
24-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Xavier (La.) XULA 21 29 50
Oklahoma City University OCU 29 33 62

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

OCU tops Xavier 62-50

Stars collect first NAIA Tournament win since 2008 title-game victory

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Oklahoma City University reeled in its first NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament victory in 10 years 62-50 over Xavier (La.) on Wednesday at Municipal Auditorium.
Samuel Williams, a senior from Reno, Nev., supplied the Stars with a team-best 14 points. Eighth-ranked OCU (24-8) advanced to meet ninth-ranked Georgetown (Ky.) at 9 a.m. CDT Friday in the NAIA Division I Tournament.
Oklahoma City won for the first time in NAIA Division I Tournament play since March 25, 2008, when the Stars triumphed 75-72 over Mountain State (W.Va.) to secure their last national championship. OCU owns six national titles won in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2007 and 2008. Since that victory, OCU had made five NAIA Tournament appearances without a win. The Stars reached the NAIA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. 
Lou Dunbar, a senior from Seabrook, Texas, tallied 13 points with three 3-pointers off the bench as the Stars reserves outscored 25th-ranked Xavier's 18-5. Ridell Camidge, a senior from Wilmington, N.C., posted 11 points, six rebounds and three treys.
The Stars managed a season low point total, scoring less than in a 66-63 Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament win over Mid-America Christian on Feb. 27 at Abe Lemons Arena. OCU allowed its lowest scoring output of the season, surpassing that win over Mid-America.
Oklahoma City mustered 29 points in the first period for a season low in a half this season, but led by eight at halftime. The Stars scored 30 points in the first period at Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) on Feb. 23 and in the second half against Mid-America Christian in the SAC Tournament.
"We're very proud of our bunch for finding a way to win a very ugly game," OCU coach Vinay Patel said. "Give Xavier a lot of credit. They were very good defensively today and have been all season. We made some big plays down the stretch, and I thought we got big defensive stops when we needed to."
Monte Lambert of Xavier hit a bucket to slice OCU's lead to 38-35 with 10:53 remaining. Ivan Saicic kept the Stars in front with five points. Saicic scored left-handed off Samuel Williams' feed for a 40-35 OCU lead with 8:54 to go to break an OCU scoreless drought of 4:31.
Oklahoma City built its largest lead of the game 57-45 when Terence Bonhomme drained a 3-pointer from deep off Jonathan Ellis' assist with 1:01 left.
Camidge sank back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Stars ahead 29-20 with 1:28 left in the first half. Camidge's trey from the corner gave OCU a 26-18 lead and the Stars' largest lead to that point at the 2:33 mark. Camidge hit his second 3 in transition.
Jalen David's putback gave Xavier a 12-10 edge midway through the first half. Dunbar answered with a 3 to give OCU back the lead. The Stars led the rest of the way.
Friday's national-tournament game will feature NAIA Division I's top two current programs in all-time victories and tournament wins.
"Any time you can get wins in March, it's a great feeling," Patel said. "We don't have a lot of time to celebrate because we play a very good Georgetown team next."
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