CLAREMORE, Okla. – In what was the biggest game inside the Claremore Expo since a 2009 showdown between the same two squads, No. 3 Oklahoma Baptist defeated No. 5 Rogers State 79-69 Monday evening.

The Hillcats opened the contest as if set to upset the higher ranked Bison, behind the play of junior guard Justynn Hammond. RSU led at the half 39-34 as the Portland, Wash. native tallied 16 points in the first period. Coach Justin Barkley's squad held its largest lead of the game with 10:12 remaining in the opening stanza at 25-18 off a Donald Williams 3-pointer.

The Bison opened the second stanza on a 7-0 run over two minutes time to go up by two points. A quick RSU rebuttal led by five points from Kenny Edwards and a 3-pointer by Alex Ewings put the Cats up by six with 15:32 remaining.

Over the next eight minutes the score was tied four times notching it even at 61-61 at the 7:21 mark. That's when the Bison took over, outscoring the Hillcats in the final stretch 18-8 as Derick Echols scored six points and Deangelo McIntosh with five points during that time.

McIntosh finished with a game high 22 points while Echols tallied 20 points. OBU was on target from long distance in the second stanza nailing 62.5 percent after knocking down just 36.4 percent in the first half.

Hammond added just two points in the second period to finish with a career high of 18 points, leading the Hillcats in scoring. Edwards finished with 15 points while Meneptha Darden tallied his third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 boards. Donald Williams rounded out the Cats double-digit scorers with 10 points.

RSU shot 60 percent behind the arc in the opening half but hit just 2-of-7 from 3-point range in the second period. The Hillcats turned the ball over 19 times while out-rebounding the Bison 37-30.

Rogers State (12-1, 5-1) will welcome the Oklahoma City Stars to the Claremore Expo on Thursday, Jan. 5 for an 8 p.m. tip time. The game will be video streamed live on www.rsuhillcats.com/live.