SHAWNEE – No. 19 (NABC)
Oklahoma Baptist overwhelmed Newman with a dominant first half and rode that early surge to an 88–75 victory Saturday night inside the Noble Complex. The victory moved the Bison to 6–0 on the season, continuing their best start in the program's NCAA era. Furthermore, it's the first 6-0 start since the 2012-13 campaign.
OBU's offense erupted immediately, opening the game on a 10–3 run and never looking back. The Bison shot a blistering 56 percent in the first half, fueled by 22 made field goals and six 3-pointers, building a commanding 54–27 halftime lead.
Joshua Udoumoh set the tone early, scoring 16 points before the break and powering his way to a game- and career-high 24 on 10-of-15 shooting. He added four rebounds and three steals in a complete performance.
Terry Coner Jr. provided another major spark, tallying 18 points and knocking down three 3s while orchestrating the offense with poise.
Jackson Greene added 12 points and six rebounds, consistently finishing around the rim and generating second-chance opportunities. As a group, the Bison outrebounded Newman 40–32 and capitalized for 22 second-chance points.
Newman, which trailed by as many as 32, battled back with an explosive second half, outscoring OBU 48–34 after halftime. The Jets were led by Jordan Glenn-Hawkins' 15 points, while Thatcher McClure and Syris Williams added 13 and nine, respectively, off the bench. Newman's reserves combined for a remarkable 61 bench points, helping the visitors trim the deficit in the game's final minutes.
Despite the Jets' late push, OBU's early cushion proved too much to overcome. The Bison finished the night shooting 51 percent from the field and forcing 19 turnovers, converting those into 26 points on the other end.
Oklahoma Baptist now turns its attention to Great American Conference play, which starts on Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Arkansas-Monticello.
