SHAWNEE – Some key defensive takeaways early in the second half helped No. 23 (NABC) Oklahoma Baptist (9-1, 3-1 GAC) get in gear and eventually route Southeastern Oklahoma State (3-7, 2-2 GAC) 98-82 on Saturday at the Noble Complex.
OBU led 44–40 at halftime after a competitive first 20 minutes that featured efficient shooting by both teams. Southeastern shot over 50 percent from the field in the opening half and kept pace behind Ethan Wilkerson's inside scoring, but the Bison maintained control by spreading the floor and getting production from multiple starters.
In fact, seven different players scored at least five points in the opening half for the Bison, led by
Terry Coner Jr.'s 10.
The game shifted after the break as the hosts outscored Southeastern 54–42 in the second half. The Bison capitalized on turnovers and turned defensive stops into transition baskets, gradually extending the margin into double digits. OBU finished with 24 points off turnovers and held a decisive edge in bench scoring, 30–29.
Coner Jr. led the way for the Bison with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including three 3-pointers, while also dishing out five assists.
Jackson Greene added 15 points and eight rebounds, consistently getting to the free-throw line, where he went 10-of-11.
Joshua Udoumoh chipped in 14 points, three rebounds and four assists, and
Seth Grandberry scored 13 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc.
Christian Hodge provided a spark off the bench with 11 points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Southeastern was led by Wilkerson, who scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Ethan Scott added 15 points, hitting four 3-pointers, while Chandler Dickinson finished with 14 points and four rebounds. Despite shooting over 50 percent from the field, the Savage Storm struggled to slow OBU's depth and second-half surge.
Oklahoma Baptist shot 50.7 percent overall and 46.2 percent from three, closing the night in front of 509 fans with a convincing conference win. The Bison return to action on Dec. 18 at East Central at 7:30 p.m.
