WEATHERFORD – Oklahoma Baptist scored 40 second-half points to run away with a 74-65 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State (6-11, 6-6 GAC) and break its three-game skid on Saturday afternoon inside the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
OBU moves to 8-10 on the season with a 5-7 mark in conference play.
Oklahoma Baptist improved its 34.2 percent field goal mark in the first half to 50.0 percent in the closing stanza. The Bison also knocked down 18 free throws (18-24), the most in five games, and forced 20 turnovers. It was the second-most forced miscues this season.
LEADERS
Ricky Brown paced the Bison with 20 points on 50.0 percent (6-12) shooting in 29 minutes of work. Brown netted five three-pointers for the third time this season, one off his season-high (6), while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the charity stripe.
Furthermore, the guard filled his stat sheet with three rebounds, two steals, and an assist.
Trevin Wade poured in 15 points and poked away a career-high seven steals. The latter was the most steals in a game in OBU's Division II era. Wade added five makes at the charity stripe (5-8) and three assists.
Terry Coner Jr. scored 13 points and matched Wade's total at the free throw line (5-7). Coner also tallied two assists and two steals.
Daniel Ransom collected 11 points and brought down a tie for the team-high in rebounds (7). Nathan Wilson also registered seven boards and scored three points.
Joshua Udoumoh and Efe Sekeroglu scored six points each. Udoumoh also recorded six rebounds and went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.
FIRST HALF
Oklahoma Baptist got out to a 16-5 lead by the 12:09 mark of the opening stanza while holding the Bulldogs to a 28.7 percent field goal percentage. Brown accounted for nine points, all from beyond the arc.
Then the Bison went cold while Southwestern put on an 11-3 sprint to cut their deficit to three (19-16).
OBU pushed its lead back to eight in response, but SWOSU kept battling and eventually took the advantage with four minutes remaining. This late run allowed for a 37-34 Bulldog cushion going into the break.
SECOND HALF
The Bison tied the game at 38-all two minutes into the second half before the Bulldogs re-took the lead until the 12-minute mark.
Tied up at 48, a Ransom layup sparked a 5-0 run for an OBU advantage. Still, SWOSU swung back and chained the contest at 53-all.
The squads swapped the lead a few more times before a Wilson three-pointer signaled the game's final lead change. It was his first make from deep since OBU's first meeting with the Bulldogs on Nov. 30.
After that, Oklahoma Baptist scored 12 points to Southwestern's five to stamp the victory.
NOTES
- The Bison improved its field-goal percentage between halves for the first time since its Jan. 20 contest at Southern Arkansas.
- Ricky Brown scored 20 points for the third time this season.
NEXT UP
OBU turns the page to Thursday, Feb. 1, for a 7:30 p.m. matchup against Henderson State inside the Noble Complex. It will be the second game against the Reddies this season.
