SHAWNEE -- Oklahoma Baptist used a dominant second half to overcome a halftime deficit and secure a 69-59 victory over Arkansas Tech on Saturday at the Noble Complex.
Trailing 35-29 at the break, the Bison (14-8, 11-5 GAC) came out firing in the second half, outscoring the Wonder Boys (9-13, 6-10 GAC) by 16 points behind an efficient offensive display and strong defensive effort.
Terry Coner Jr. led Oklahoma Baptist with 16 points and six assists, while
Nathan Wilson added 13 points and six rebounds.
Ricky Brown and
JC Curry each contributed 11 points, with Curry going a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Daniel Ransom chipped in 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Arkansas Tech was paced by Cassius Brooks, who poured in a game-high 22 points but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 9-of-26 from the field. Seybian Sims recorded nine points and 10 rebounds, while Braden Tanner added nine.
The Wonder Boys started strong, shooting 46.4 percent in the first half while holding Oklahoma Baptist to 35.5. However, the second half was a different story. The Bison caught fire, hitting 55.6 percent of their shots, including three timely three-pointers, while limiting Arkansas Tech to just 30 percent shooting after halftime.
A key turning point came midway through the second stanza when the hosts went on a 10-2 run, capped by a dunk from Brown, to take a 58-54 lead. Arkansas Tech never recovered, struggling to convert key opportunities down the stretch.
The win keeps Oklahoma Baptist in strong contention in the GAC standings, while Arkansas Tech will look to bounce back in their next matchup.
Next week, the Bison will host first-place Southern Nazarene on Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
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