BETHANY, Okla. – Oklahoma City University defeated Southwestern Christian 81-76 in overtime in Sooner Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Pickens-Springer Gymnasium on the SCU campus.
 
OCU (10-4, 5-4 SAC) earned the win despite a couple of starters missing the game.
 
After holding a slim 39-38 halftime lead, SCU (9-6, 4-5) led by as many as six points in the third quarter. OCU fought back to tie the score 59-59 on a jumper by junior forward Fiona Wilson at the 7:56 mark of the fourth quarter.
 
At that point the Stars would go on a 5-0 run to take a 64-59 lead before the Eagles responded with a 12-2 run to take a 71-66 lead at the 2:37 mark.
 
SCU missed four field goal attempts and four free throws over the final two and half minutes of regulation and senior guard Erika Ankney sent the game into overtime with a driving lay-up with two seconds remaining.
 
The teams traded two-point leads in overtime until freshman guard Elaine Witt provided the Stars a 79-76 lead with a made put-back off a missed shot by Ankney with 14 seconds remaining. After a missed 3-pointer on the other end of the court, Ankney sealed the win with two free throws with one second remaining, pushing OCU to an 81-76 lead.
 
Short-handed OCU played only eight players in the game and the five starters scored all but six points in the win.
 
Four Stars scored in double-figures with Ankney finishing with a career-high 31 points, Wilson with 19 points, junior guard Paige Pendley with 12 points and Witt with 10 points. Pendley and Wilson contributed double-doubles, with Pendley finishing with a career-high 14 rebounds and Wilson notching 10 boards.
 
OCU returns to action next Thursday with a home game against Texas Wesleyan. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Abe Lemons Arena.