FORT WORTH — Texas Wesleyan (6-6, 2-4 SAC) narrowly fell to Oklahoma City (5-7, 2-5 SAC), 55-54, at the Sid Richardson Center, despite forcing 27 turnovers and securing 13 steals. Oklahoma City held onto the lead by one point after a 19-point fourth quarter.

The first quarter started with Texas Wesleyan's Nala Richardson scoring a layup just six seconds into the game. Oklahoma City's Victoria Ososanya quickly responded with a jumper, assisted by Ellie Willard, tying the score. Richardson continued to lead the Rams with another layup at 8:09, establishing an early advantage. However, the Stars took the lead with a layup at 6:10 by Willard, assisted by Amanda Sene Da Cruz. The quarter concluded dramatically as Brooke Curry's three-pointer at 0:53, assisted by Ososanya, helped the Stars secure a narrow 13-12 lead.

The second quarter saw a tight contest between the Rams and the Stars, with neither team able to establish a significant lead. Ososanya hit a three-pointer with 9:29 remaining, giving the Stars a four-point advantage at 16-12. Richardson responded with a three-pointer at 8:51, narrowing the gap to one point. Peyton Foster tied the game at 20-20 with a three-pointer at 5:33, but the Stars edged ahead by the end of the quarter, leading 29-28. The period ended with missed opportunities as both teams struggled to convert in the final seconds.

Kameryn Phillips started the third quarter strong for the Rams with two consecutive layups, giving them an early lead. Despite turnovers by the Stars, Weronika Tomaszuk managed a three-pointer, briefly putting them ahead, 27-25. Kayla Fuller quickly responded with two free throws to tie the game. The home team capitalized on multiple turnovers by the Stars, with Kyla Speights scoring two late layups to secure a 38-36 lead going into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter was marked by a tense back-and-forth battle between the Rams and the Stars. Texas Wesleyan initially led by as much as seven points, reinforced by a three-pointer from Foster at 5:52, bringing the score to 49-42. Phillips contributed significantly for the Rams, scoring a layup at 0:49 to tie the game at 51-51 and later adding crucial free throws to bring the score to 54-53 in favor of Texas Wesleyan. However, the Stars reclaimed the lead in the final moments with Willard's free throws at 0:03, securing a narrow 55-54 victory.

The Rams return to action on Saturday against Southwestern Christian University on the road, with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m.