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Eagles split games; Lady Eagles fall to 3rd ranked Lubbock Christian

Behind junior Jordan Box’s career-high 29 points, the Oklahoma Christian University men’s basketball team defeated another ranked NCAA Division II opponent in 25th Dallas Baptist University, 82–78 Jan. 18 in the Nest.

Box scored his career high while coming off the bench and also pulled in five rebounds.

Senior Elijah Strickland scored 24 points and had two steals, and junior Roderick Smith was the third Eagle in double digits, posting 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Oklahoma Christian shot 49.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range on the game.

The Eagles led by as many as 17 points to close the first half, but the Patriots decreased the deficit to within a single basket, 75–72, with 1:23 left.

Strickland hit a floater with 54 seconds left to give the Eagles a 77–72 lead. Following that basket, junior Will Lienhard forced a jump ball and gave Oklahoma Christian another possession.

Lienhard contributed six points, nine rebounds and three blocks.

Immediately after inbounding the ball, Box was fouled and made both free throws to give Oklahoma Christian a seven-point lead with 35 seconds left.

Strickland hit three of his four attempts from the foul line to lift the Eagles over the Patriots with 19.9 seconds left.

Oklahoma Christian failed to keep their momentum rolling into the next conference game against Lubbock Christian University, as they fell 89–74 Jan. 20.

The Eagles committed 15 turnovers throughout the game, allowing the Chaparrals to score 16 points off of those turnovers. Oklahoma Christian was also beat in the paint, allowing 48 points, despite winning the rebounding battle 41–32.

Strickland scored 20 points to lead the team in scoring and Box had 18 points off the bench.

Junior Charles Shaw added 10 points and five assists.

After trailing 43–36 at halftime, the Eagles brought it within three, 43–40, but the Chaparrals went on a 25–11 run to push the lead back to double digits, 68–51 with 11:40 left in the game.

For the rest of the game, Oklahoma Christian would get no closer than 11 points to the Chapparrals’ lead.

Following his career high 29 points and 18-point contribution during the both games, Box was named the Eagle of the Week, making him the fourth men’s basketball player to have earned the award alongside Strickland, Lienhard and Smith.

The Lady Eagles, despite leading in the first quarter, failed to keep pace with NCAA Division II third-ranked Lubbock Christian and dropped the game 78–64 Jan. 20.

Freshman Katie Mayo led the team with 13 points, and freshman Maddison Collyer added 12 points and three steals.

Oklahoma Christian was outrebounded 48–31 and allowed 23 points off 12 turnovers.

Senior Audrey Hayes scored11 points and had four steals, while junior Addy Clift scored 10 points on just 3-of-16 shooting.

Both teams will travel to Wichita, KS to play Heartland Conference opponent Newman University Jan. 27. The Lady Eagles tip off at 1 p.m. followed by the men at 3 p.m.

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