TYLER, Texas -- UT Tyler recovered from a slow start to put together a 14-0 run to start the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma Christian held off the Patriots' late rally for a 68-53 win in a Lone Star Conference divisional matchup Thursday night.

Freshman guard Kylea Johnson scored a season-high 15 points for the Patriots, hitting a trio of three-pointers in the first half as she provided 11 of UT Tyler's 22 points in the first half. Despite facing a 21-point halftime deficit, the Patriots rallied in the second half and opened the fourth quarter with a 14-0 run before falling by a 15-point margin.

With the loss, UT Tyler fell to 3-11 overall and 1-9 in Lone Star Conference play, and the Patriots are 0-4 within their division. Oklahoma Christian improved to 5-9 overall and 5-5 in the LSC with a 2-0 divisional mark.

Turning Point: Oklahoma Christian took a 27-point lead into the fourth quarter when UT Tyler came roaring back in the final period. Tori Shoemaker got the Patriots' 14-0 run started with a layup inside, and Kelsey Crouse followed with a three-pointer to get the run going. Defensively, the Patriots held Oklahoma Christian to just four points in the fourth quarter, as the Eagles hit just 1-of-20 field goal attempts including an 0-for-9 mark from three-point range. A Beezy Birchette three-pointer with 3:16 remaining in the game pulled UT Tyler within 13 points, 64-51, but Katie Mayo ended the scoring drought with 2:19 to play before the Eagles added two more points on free throws to close out the win.

How It Happened: Oklahoma Christian scored 10 of the final 11 points of the opening quarter, turning a 10-8 edge into a 19-9 margin in the final 2:24 of the period. One of Kylea Johnson's first-half threes pulled UT Tyler within eight, 23-15, but the Eagles answered with a 9-0 run which served as the start of a 20-7 run over the final 8:29 of the second quarter.

Oklahoma Christian held a 43-22 halftime lead, and the Eagles built the lead to 29 points late in the third quarter before finishing the third quarter with a 64-37 lead. That's when UT Tyler rallied, scoring 14 straight on Tori Shoemaker's layup followed by four three-pointers which slashed the lead by more than half, making it 64-51 with 3:16 to play. Kelsey Crouse and Carah Burdette hit the first two threes, and Beezy Birchette hit the next two to finish off the scoring run. Birchette scored the final 8 points of the game to lead UT Tyler to a 16-4 fourth-quarter scoring margin.

UT Tyler Standouts: Kylea Johnson's game-high 15 points represented her new season-high, and she also registered a team-high 3 steals. Beezy Birchette added 9 points, while Kelsey Crouse and Carah Burdette notched 8 points each. Lilli Stewart led the Patriots in rebounding with 8 boards, while Tori Shoemaker came off the bench for 7 rebounds and a pair of blocks.

Oklahoma Christian Standouts: Kendall Blackburn led a quartet of double-digit scorers for the Eagles with 15 points, and she added 8 rebounds along with game-highs of 6 blocks and 6 steals. Katie Mayo recorded a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Megan Shelton notched 11 points and 6 blocks. Maddison Collyer scored 11 points.

By The Numbers: Oklahoma Christian registered 16 steals and 8 blocks… The Eagles committed 9 turnovers while UT Tyler had 19, leading to a 16-6 edge for Oklahoma Christian in points off turnovers… The Eagles also generated a 15-7 edge in second chance points along with a 22-8 margin in points in the paint and a 12-4 margin in fast break scoring… Oklahoma Christian posted a 44-43 edge in rebounds, but the Eagles grabbed 20 offensive rebounds… The Eagles shot 35 percent (25-for-72) from the field, including a 24 percent (7-for-29) clip from three-point range… UT Tyler shot 34 percent (18-for-53) overall and 35 percent (9-for-26) on three-pointers.

What's Next: UT Tyler hosts University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAFS) on Saturday, Jan. 18, to complete the first round of matchups against divisional opponents. The matchup will also wrap up the first half of the Patriots' 22-game Lone Star Conference schedule.