SHAWNEE - The Oklahoma Baptist men's basketball team took the roof off the Noble Complex in the opening minute and rolled from the get go, leading by as many as 25 points as they got a little bit of payback from an early season defeat a season ago, defeating the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers, 72-57.
OBU shot 27 of 51 (53%) from the field while absolutely dominating the paint with 40 points on the night. The Bison shot over 50% in both halves including 54% in the second half. OBU struggled from behind the arc, shooting 4 of 18 (22%) and they were 14 of 21 (67%) from the free throw line.
The defense was key on the night as the Bison suffocated the Lopers from the tip, holding them to 18 of 51 (35%) shooting and 5 of 20 (25%) from deep. The Bison forced UNK into 15 turnovers on the night and scored 15 points off said turnovers. OB U got great production from its bench with 21 points.
It was quite the start for OBU as
Harrison Stoddart got things going with a 3-pointer to open the game followed by a steal from
Jaquan Simms, leading to a Stoddart lay in, and a stop by the OBU defense, leading to a
Jacque Brown 3-pointer and an 8-0 lead in the first minute of play.
As the game settled in, Nebraska-Kearney began to find some rhythm and cut the deficit down to four in the next six minutes of play. However, OBU found its footing again, getting lay ups from
Rashad Lewis, Simms, and Stoddart to push the lead to 21-14. Stoddart and Brown followed with jumpers and the lead was up to double digits at 25-14 with under nine minutes to play.
OBU held on to a 10 point lead for most of the half, but that lead would increase as
Mohammed Abubakar got things going with five straight points as the lead moved out to 16 late in the half. The Lopers got a lay up in the final seconds, but OBU maintained a 38-24 lead at the half.
Lewis would open the second half with a 3-pointer and the route was on in the second half as OBU came with a flurry, primarily from Lewis and Simms to build their lead to 51-26, their largest of the game. Nebraska-Kearney would cut the deficit down to 15, but
Dishon Lowery brought the house down with a ferocious slam that put all the momentum back in the Bison's favor.
The Lopers tried to make one last run, but OBU slammed the door shut thanks in part to another big time dunk, this time from
Kurt Hall on a fastbreak. OBU was able to empty its bench late and despite UNK getting some late action, the Bison were able to hold off for the 15-point win.
Four different players were in double figures and all scored 12 points beginning with Brown, who added four assists and two steals while Lewis had 12 points and a pair of 3-pointers. Stoddart had 12, five boards, and three blocks while Abubakar scored 12 off the bench on 6 of 6 shooting. Lowery added nine points and five boards to go with a block and two steals while Simms and Hall each scored six.
Cedric Johnson scored 14 off the bench to lead the Lopers while Winston Cook added 10.
OBU is 1-0 on the season and will return home tomorrow evening as they take on Wayne State in a 7:30 p.m. match up. The Wildcats fell to East Central earlier in the day in Shawnee.
