OKLAHOMA CITY – GAVINO RAMOS scored a career-high 27 points, and SEAN ELKINTON hit a game-winning 3-pointer with nine seconds remaining to lift the St. Edward's men's basketball team to a 71-70 win over Oklahoma Christian. 
 
It was the second time in as many years that Ramos hit a new career mark in Oklahoma City after pouring in a then-career-best 24 points on 8-for-10 shooting against Oklahoma Christian on Jan. 12, 2023. 
 
Ramos opened the game on a tear, scoring three layups in roughly the first two minutes and capping off a 12-0 Hilltopper run to start the game with an assist to Elkinton for a 3-pointer. The Hilltoppers were unstoppable early, hitting nine of their first 10 shots on their way to a 23-2 lead led by Ramos' nine points, JAYDEN JOHNSTON's eight points, and two Elkinton 3-pointers while Oklahoma Christian shot 1-for-13. 
 
Hunter Staten helped Oklahoma Christian find its footing with eight first-half points, and the Eagles outscored the Hilltoppers 27-17 over the final 13 minutes, closing the half on an 8-0 ru to pull within 11 at 40-29. 
 
Johnston led St. Edward's with 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting in the first half, hitting three of the Hilltoppers' seven 3-pointers before the break. Ramos added 11 points and two assists, and Elkinton scored 10, hitting a pair of 3-pointers. St. Edward's finished the first half shooting 13-for-34 overall, assisting on nine of its 16 made field goals. 
 
The Hilltopper shooting went cold in the second half, connecting on only 1-of-13 from beyond the 3-point line after the half, and Oklahoma City hit the glass for a 10-2 advantage in second-chance points and utilized its depth to outscore St. Edward's 10-2 in bench points to claw back into the game. 
 
Oklahoma Christian opened the second half with an 11-6 run to pull within six at 46-40 on a Baynham layup five minutes in. Ramos responded with a layup and a pair of free throws to spark an 8-0 run to put the Hilltoppers back up 14 at 54-40. 
 
The Hilltoppers then went five minutes without making a field goal, surrendering a 14-4 run to allow the Eagles to pull back to 58-54. Ramos answered with a layup, but Oklahoma Christian reeled off another 14-4 run to go up 68-64 with 1:57 remaining. 
 
Ramos answered with a layup, then responded to a pair of Javon Grant free throws with two of his own to keep the Hilltoppers within two at 70-68 with 28 seconds remaining. 
 
St. Edward's caught a break when Moun'tae Edmundson missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw, and the Hilltoppers went without a timeout, screening and then rescreening between BLAKE NIELSEN and Elkinton, freeing the latter on a pick-and-pop 3-pointer. 
 
The Eagles inbounded to Quinton Johnson, who missed a floater as time expired. 
 
Ramos scored 16 points in the second half, hitting half of his eight shots from the field and all eight free throws. It's the fifth time Ramos has scored 20 or more points this season and sixth consecutive game in double figures. He also finished with six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. 
 
Elkinton finished with 15 points and four rebounds, Johnston added 14 points and seven rebounds, and BLAKE NIELSEN contributed 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Staten and Baynham scored 15 each for Oklahoma Christian. 
 
St. Edward's improves to 18-9 with an 11-7 conference record. The Hilltoppers will return home to host Lubbock Christian on Thursday and West Texas A&M on Saturday.