OKLAHOMA CITY – Despite shooting 50 percent against Oklahoma Christian on Friday night, the Aggies were unable to close out 2021 with a win, falling 73-64 for their first Lone Star Conference loss.
 
Cameron's men entered the New Year's Eve matchup with the Eagles on a two-game losing skid, trying to snap the streak in the first official conference game of the season. However, a solid shooting night and 29 combined points from Marques Warrior Jr. and Colt Savage were not enough to take down the home team Eagles. 
 
The Aggies out-shot Oklahoma Christian from the field and from three, where they were 4-12, while OC shot 43.6 percent from the floor and 3-19 from three. However, the home team got to the free throw line for 28 attempts, making 22, while Cameron was 12-19 from the charity stripe in the loss. 
 
Additionally, OC out-rebounded the Aggies by 11 rebounds while the turnover battle was much closer, 14-13 in favor of the Eagles. The home team also capitalized on their 15 offensive rebounds, scoring 20 second chance points in the win. 
 
Warrior led CU with 15 points to go along with a pair of steals. The second-year guard was 5-11 from the field while also going 2-3 from long range. Savage added 14 points, near his season average, going 5-9 from the floor and 2-5 from three. 
 
Connor Slater added nine points and a team-best seven rebounds for head coach Andrew Brown and the Aggies while John Muhammad added eight points on six shots off the CU bench. 
 
In a game that seemed close throughout, there were just four tie scores and one lead change in the entire 40 minutes of play. Oklahoma Christian tried to take control early in the first half, leading eight at the 10:56 mark, but CU chipped away at the lead, cutting it to one on a Savage three with 2:46 left in the half. OC was able to add two points to lead by three, 33-30 at the break. 
 
Eight Aggies had at least three points in the opening 20 minutes, led by Warrior and Savage with five points each. The team shot 47.6 percent from the field and was 2-6 from three and 8-12 from the charity stripe in the first half. 
 
Cameron opened the second half by playing to a 34-all tie after a made layup by Slater. OC again tried to take control, taking a seven-point lead with 14:28 to play, but the Aggies were able to come back and cut it to one on an and-one play by Joshua Fanuiel. After battling back and forth, OC built up their lead to 11 with 2:50 to play, giving them enough of an advantage to hold off the Aggies for the 73-64 win. 
 
Oklahoma Christian was led by Drew Tennial, who had 19 points and nine rebounds in the win. Moun'tae Edmundson added 16 points and seven boards and Nyk Madison chipped in 10 points. 
 
The Aggies, who are now sitting at 2-6 overall and 0-1 in conference play, will look to snap their current three-game losing skid when the visit UAFS on Sunday, Jan. 2, for their first game of 2022. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. after the women's game against the Lions.