Bison Pull Away from SWOSU to Take Over First Place in the West

SHAWNEE - The Oklahoma Baptist men's basketball team dominated the final five minutes of play as they closed the game on a 22-7 run to defeat the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs by the score of 90-80 on Thursday evening inside the Noble Complex.

Success from the 3-point line was the key for OBU as they drained a season-high 14 3-pointers and shot 42 percent from behind the arc. OBU finished 29 of 66 (44%) from the floor including a red hot 50 percent in the second half. The Bison also went 18 of 23 (78%) from the free throw line on the night.

SWOSU finished strong from the field, going 29 of 63 (46%), but OBU held the Bulldogs to only 6 of 17 (35%) from behind the arc. 

The Bison continue to take care of the ball extremely well, only turning it over 12 times on the night. The Bison held an advantage in second chance points over SWOSU at 19-8 as they out-rebounded the Bulldogs 40-36.

It was a back-and-forth start early on between both squads as the offenses were rolling. Harrison Stoddart, Brantly Thompson, and Jordan Thompson gave OBU the early 7-6 advantage while Trace Boling returned from injury for his first playing time of the year, getting on the board with a beautiful lay in to lead 9-6.

A mini 6-0 run put the Bulldogs ahead 12-0, but Brantly Thompson responded with his first 3-pointer of the game to even the game at 12 a piece. Thompson, Stoddart, and Nigel Wilcox followed with points in the paint to lead 18-17 followed by a 3-pointer from Stoddart to lead 21-17. 

SWOSU cut the deficit to 22-21, but the freshman duo of Thompson and Boling heated up as Thompson found Boling open for three on back-to-back possessions to open up a 28-21 lead with under seven to play in the first half.

The Bulldogs chipped away at the deficit, but OBU was able to stay in front, taking a 42-40 lead at the end of half thanks to aggressive play from Jordan Thompson and Stoddart, as well as a 3-pointer from Trey Green. 

SWOSU was the aggressor early in the second half as they were hot from the field early on, taking a 52-48 lead five minutes into the half. Jaquan Simms responded with a lay in followed by a 3-pointer from Brantly Thompson to move back ahead 53-52.

The two teams battled back-and-forth as Green and Stoddart knocked down 3-pointers to remain ahead 61-58. Thompson and Wilcox kept their foot on the petal as they pushed it out to six at 66-62 with under nine minutes to play.

SWOSU responded in a big way, heating up from deep and taking the lead back, pushing it to their biggest of the game at 73-68 with six to play. 

The Thompsons answered in the biggest way.

The senior Brantly Thompson put the team on his back and fired back-to-back 3-pointers to regain the lead at 74-73. Moments later, a turnover was pushed ahead to freshman Jordan Thompson who threw a pass off the backboard to Wilcox who put home a ferocious slam that sent the bench into a frenzy for a 76-73 lead. 

After a free throw from SWOSU, Jordan Thompson knocked down a jumper, followed by a block from Wilcox, before Stoddart knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner with the foul to take an 81-74 lead. Simms would put it away for good on a pass from the freshman Thompson to get the lead to 10.

OBU would pull away for the victory, but not before Wilcox's second unbelievable jam as Simms threw an alley oop to Wilcox who tomahawked it down with one hand to put the game to rest as OBU took home the 90-80 win.

Brantly Thompson finished with 25 points, including five 3-pointers, four rebounds, and three steals. OBU's bigs both recorded double-doubles as Stoddart added 17 points, 10 rebound, and three blocks, while his running mate Wilcox had 13 points, 13 rebounds, and two steals. Jordan Thompson scored 14 points off the bench to go with six assists, while Simms had seven points and seven assists.

In his debut on Bison Hill, Boling scored eight points with three boards, while Green had six points on a pair of 3-pointers.

Tauriawn Knight led SWOSU with 19 points and five boards, while Chris Braggs, Jr. added 17 points. Damion Thornton notched a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

OBU moved to 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the GAC, taking over the top spot in the Western Division. They return to action on Saturday as they head to Ada to battle East Central. Tip-off has been moved to 5 p.m. and will be carried live on the Bison Radio Network.