OKLAHOMA CITY -- The sport of basketball is filled with time-worn cliches, including one that insists defeating the same team three times in a single season is demanding, if not almost impossible.  The Oklahoma City University women's team managed to dispel the notion Tuesday (Feb. 22) evening in the Abe Lemons Arena. Just barely.
     With just 21 seconds remaining in a fiercely fought battle in the opening round of the 2021-22 Sooner Athletic Conference playoff tournament, senior forward Abby Selzer connected on a layup that gave the hosts a 69-67 victory over the University of North Texas at Dallas.
     The Stars had defeated the Trailblazers twice during the regular season and will now advance to play cross-town rival Mid-America Christian University Friday in the quarterfinal round.  For Coach Rodney Belcher's squad, its first season as a full member of the SAC is over after posting a 12-18 record.
     Both teams played the game short-handed with only nine UNTD players making the trip. OCU had only seven available.
     For much of the frigid evening it appeared the underdog visitors just might pull off an upset as the lead see-sawed throughout, changing hands seven times.  Early in the third quarter, UNTD built a nine-point lead, only to see it evaporate as the Stars made a 14-4 run that gave them a 49-46 lead entering the final period.
     With three minutes remaining, Mykayla Dumas' layup put UNTD into a two-point lead (63-61). The Trailblazers' leading scorer for the night with 19 points, Dumas connected on another layup with 1:03 remaining to give her team yet another two-point advantage.
     After the Stars had battled into a tie seconds later, the stage was set for Selzer's game winning tip-in.
     UNTD's final chance came with 10 seconds remaining as Zyunn Cormier missed on a jumper and Oklahoma City rebounded.
     Joining Dumas in double figures for the Trailblazers were Delyssa Miller wityh 13 and Kaiyla Payne with 10. Selzer paced the winners with 20 while teammate Elaine Witt added 17.