OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University extended its winning streak to five games with a 75-63 Sooner Athletic Conference win over North Texas Dallas on Saturday afternoon at Abe Lemons Arena.
 
With the win the Stars are alone in third place in the SAC standings with a 12-4 league mark, two games behind Science & Arts and one game behind Southwestern Assemblies of God.
 
OCU (13-10, 12-4 SAC) earned the win in what has become typical fashion this season, that being a combination of grinding defense and a late offensive lift.
 
UNTD (8-15, 4-12 SAC) took its biggest lead of the game at 42-34 on a lay-up by Christian Plummer one minute into the second half. The Stars then went on a 16-2 run to take a 50-44 lead at the 15:40 mark.
 
The lead would then swing back and forth, ending up at a 57-57 tie at the 5:38 mark. OCU took control at that point, ending the game on an emphatic 18-6 run to secure the win.
 
The game-ending run started on a lay-up by senior Romario Spence. Senior guard Ryan Birt pushed the lead to 69-59 at the 1:27 mark when he made a mid-court steal, drove the distance for a lay-up and made a free throw after being fouled.
 
Spence led the charge for the Stars with 18 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Birt finished with 18 points and team-high four steals.
 
Senior guard Rashaun Coleman finished with 16 points and junior forward Kori Guest contributed 10 points.
 
OCU out-rebounded UNTD 40-37. The Stars made 23 of 53 field goal attempts (43.4%) compared to 26 of 68 shooting (38.2%) for the UNTD.
 
The Stars limited the Trailblazers to two of nine shooting during the game-ending 18-6 run while also holding a decisive 9-1 rebounding edge.
 
OCU returns to action on Thursday with a road game at Panhandle State. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m.