Oklahoma City trips up MSU in exhibition

WICHITA FALLS, Texas - The Oklahoma City University Stars went on a 10-0 run in a two-minute period starting early in the second half then held on to defeat the Midwestern State University Mustangs 75-68 in an exhibition men's basketball contest Thursday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum/Gerald Stockton Court.

MSU did not trail in the first half, and held a nine-point lead with 1:38 to go in the opening frame, only to see OCU go on an 8-0 run to end the half to leave MSU up 28-27.

The teams traded the lead early in the second half, when a dunk by MSU's Eric Dawson gave the Mustangs a three-point lead with 15:48 to play.

That's when the OCU barrage started, as Willie Irick nailed a top-of-the-key three at 15:17 that started the 10-0 run.

MSU battled back, tying the game twice in the last five minutes. When Mustang senior Chad Rickett rolled in a layup with 3:25 to play, the score was knotted at 61-all.

But it was again Irick, who buried another the last of his three treys in the game, that gave OCU the lead for good. It started a 9-2 run that did in the Mustangs.

Irick led the Stars, the preseason number two team in the NAIA, with 19 points, while B.J. Walker added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Nick Covington chipped in 11 points, with Kameron Gray adding 10.

MSU got 21 points from Rickett, while senior Drew Coffman buried three treys on the way to 20 points.

The contest ended the exhibition season for MSU, who will open the season on the road at

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