OKLAHOMA CITY -- With the game in a 54-54 gridlock after three quarters, the No. 14-ranked Oklahoma City University Stars outscored the Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels 16-8 in the final period for a 70-62 win in Sooner Athletic Conference action tonight (Feb. 4) at Abe Lemons Arena on the OCU campus. 

The Stars took the lead for good on a jumper by Catherine Kruschke that began a 7-0 spurt during the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. 

MACU fought back within two on a three by Sarai Rodriguez and a layup from D'Shala Culberson, but the Stars again scored seven straight points to extend the lead to 68-59 with 1:03 remaining. 

After a three by Lindsey Mann and a defensive stop gave the Lady Evangels possession down 68-62 with 27 seconds remaining, Daniela Wallen came through with a steal and layup to put it away for the Stars. 

The Lady Evangels charged out of the gate early, taking an early 9-2 lead behind a pair of threes from Kelli Tolar and a trey by Alliyah Spatafora two minutes into the contest. 

It was a 19-15 lead for MACU when Markeisha Johnson scored the final six points of the period to put OCU up 21-19 after one quarter. 

The Stars kept it going to start the second quarter with the first six points for a 27-19 lead.  The Lady Evangels then came right back as Rodriguez scored the Lady Evangels' next eight points and Mann and Tolar each connected from the perimeter to cap a 16-8 burst that tied the game at 35-35 with 3:25 left in the half. 

After OCU scored six straight points, Rodriguez hit a three and Culberson put in a layup before layups from Johnson and Wallen gave the Stars a 45-40 lead at the break. 

The Lady Evangels jumped out to a five-point lead at the 4:23 mark of the third quarter on consecutive threes from Tolar, but the Stars pulled even by ending the period on a 7-2 run. 

Tolar led the Lady Evangels (8-11, 5-6 SAC) with 19 points and seven rebounds, while also hitting 5-of-11 from three-point distance. Rodriguez scored 16 with five boards and six assists. 

Wallen paced the Stars (13-5, 10-1 SAC) with 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists, with Johnson adding 17. Kruschke scored 14 and also had eight boards. 

The Stars also controlled the interior, outrebounding the Lady Evangels 40-35 overall along with a 44-16 edge in points in the paint. 

The Lady Evangels will now return home and host St. Gregory's University Saturday afternoon (Feb. 6) at 3 p.m. inside the Gaulke Activity Center.