Bison Rally from 16 Down to Knock Off ECU

SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist overcame a 16-point deficit to record an impressive 83-80 win over East Central Thursday in the Noble Complex.
 
OBU got a season-high 17 points from freshman Harrison Stoddart while Chandler Rickey went for a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double. That pair also had 10 blocked shots between them, with Rickey swatting six.
 
The Bison trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half and were down 43-31 at the half.
 
After falling down by 13 early in the second, OBU tore off a 10-0 run with four points by Brantly Thompson and three-pointers by Chandler Rickey and Travon Moore. That spree cut the lead to 44-41 with 17:26 remaining in the game.
 
The Bison trailed by nine before an 18-0 run handed the Bison a 71-62 lead with 8:07 to play. Rickey had seven points in the run and Harrison Stoddart added a pair of three-pointers.
 
"The fun started on the defensive end and everything flowed from there," Stoddart said. "We came back out with confidence after halftime."
 
East Central cut the lead to 71-70, but Rickey answered off a feed from Caleb Norris. After an ECU layup, OBU scored the next four points from the free throw line while getting five defensive stops, including two blocked shots.
 
OBU led 77-72 and withstood two ECU three-pointers that closed the gap to 79-78. The Bison hit all of their final four free throws while forcing a three-pointer miss with 10 seconds to play.
 
Joining Rickey and Stoddart in double figures in the scoring column were Thompson with 12, Vladimir Nemcok with 11 and Moore with 10.
 
Nemcok had seven assists.
 
Jeremiah Fleming led ECU with 18 points.
 
The Bison get back on the Noble Complex hardwoods Saturday, hosting Southwestern Oklahoma State in a 3 p.m. game.