ALVA – Oklahoma Baptist got its first road win of the season and spoiled Senior Night for Northwestern Oklahoma State with an 87-82 win Thursday.
The win was also the first Thursday victory and the first win over an Oklahoma team this season for the Bison.
"We were mathematically eliminated from the NCCAA postseason Monday and you kind of wonder how these guys were going to react to that, but they came out tonight and showed a lot of character," said OBU Coach Quinn Wooldridge. "We hadn't won on the road and we hadn't beaten an Oklahoma team and we talked about getting that two-fer tonight."
Steven Green scored 24 points, Vladimir Nemcok added 20 and eight assists and Chandler Rickey recorded a 17-point, 14-rebound performance.
The Bison got out early on the Rangers, shooting 68 percent in the first half and held a 52-38 lead at the break.
The lead swelled to 18 points but Northwestern closed to within two points, 81-79, with 1:27 remaining in the game.
Nemcok hit two free throws with 63 seconds left and, after a defensive stop by the Bison, Green added two more free throws for an 85-79 lead with 25 seconds to go.
The Rangers scored on their end but Rickey dunked with four seconds left to put the game on ice.
"It's been a long season with a lot of adversity," Green said. "Every single game, we've been in it, but we hadn't won a road game. We just wanted to come out and get this road game for coach."
Joining Green, Nemcok and Rickey in double figures in scoring was Caleb Norris, who had 12 on four three-pointers.
Now 7-16 overall and 3-16 in the Great American Conference, the Bison head home to face Southwestern Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. Saturday in the Noble Complex. It will be OBU's Senior Day.
