No. 10 SNU Holds Off Bison

SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist almost got its first NCAA win against a top 10 team Monday, but came up just short, falling 89-86 to No. 10 Southern Nazarene on OBU's Senior Night.
 
OBU graduate student Zach Norris and seniors Chandler Rickey, Travon Moore and Vladimir Nemcok were honored before their last game at the Noble Complex.
 
The Bison trailed by eight with 1:47 but closed the half on a furious pace. After a pair of Travon Moore free throws at the 11:12 mark, Nemcok gunned a three-pointer with two seconds left in the half.
 
SNU turned the ball over, stepping across the baseline on an inbound and OBU got the last shot of the half. Harrison Stoddart leaned around a SNU defender and knocked down the buzzer-beating three to tie the game at 44-44 at the half.
 
The Bison trailed 69-64 with 10:10 left in the game but battled through foul trouble for a 10-3 run, including two three-pointers by Rickey, to take a 77-72 lead with 5:39 remaining.
 
SNU used a 7-0 run to take a 79-77 lead, but Nemcok scored on a driving layup with 2:08 remaining for an 82-81 OBU lead. The Crimson Storm would score the next seven and held on for an 89-86 win.
 
Nemcok led the Bison with 24 points, six rebounds and four assists. Rickey added 17 points, Stoddard scored 16 and Moore scored 13 and added a team-best two steals.
 
The loss officially eliminated the Bison from the postseason with two games remaining.
 
OBU plays at Southwestern Oklahoma State Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.