SHAWNEE – East Central (6-3, 3-1 GAC) put in a layup with 0.1 seconds remaining before sinking a go-ahead free throw to stun Oklahoma Baptist (5-5, 2-2 GAC) 84-83 in a conference thriller on Saturday night.
With a minute left in the final stanza, ECU clawed out of a seven-point deficit on a 7-3 run, while OBU didn't record a field-goal attempt. The Bison made free throws, but a foul before the buzzer sent Robel Desta to the line for the game-sealer.
The Bison turned in its second-best shooting performance of the season, firing 57.7 percent from the floor. OBU was even more efficient from beyond the arc, as 14 three-pointers hit the bottom of the net at a 53.8 percent rate.
LEADERS
True freshman Terry Coner Jr. scored a career-high 33 points on 12-of-19 (63.1%) shooting. The total included six triples, also a career high, on nine attempts. He added four assists, three rebounds, and a block in his second start of the season.
Trevin Wade shot 5-of-7 from the field en route to 16 points, his third-best scoring outing this year. He was a perfect 2-of-2 from deep and cashed in four free throws.
Ricky Brown collected his second-career double-double on Bison Hill, pairing 14 points with 10 rebounds. He charted a team-high in steals (2) to go along with three assists.
Despite scoring two points, Nathan Wilson recorded eight rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in 33 minutes. It was his fourth game with at least eight boards.
FIRST HALF
Oklahoma Baptist jumped out to a commanding 10-2 lead in the first half, opening the game without missing a field goal. Coner Jr. was responsible for seven of those points. However, the opposition battled back.
By the halfway mark, ECU was ahead 20-17, following a Bryce Woolridge three-pointer. The Tigers kept the lead until a Brown triple tied the contest at 26-all with a little over six minutes remaining.
The advantage traded hands down the stretch, but the halftime scoreboard read 38-37, OBU.
Oklahoma Baptist shot 60.0 percent from the field and netted 7-of-13 attempts from deep in the first half.
SECOND HALF
Out of intermission, ECU took back the reins ahead of another tie at the 18:32 mark. The lead swapped many times before the green and gold earned its largest advantage of the contest (plus-9) with two minutes left.
They stayed ahead until East Central flipped the switch and overcame its deficit for the one-point victory.
NEXT UP
Oklahoma Baptist travels to Arkansas for the first time this season on Jan. 4 to battle Ouachita Baptist. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Arkadelphia, Ark.
