FORT SMITH, Ark. - The No. 6-ranked and top-seeded Oklahoma Baptist Bison extended their winning streak to 18 games with an 85-70 victory over Henderson State in the Great American Conference Tournament quarterfinal Thursday evening at Northside Arena. The win improved OBU to 27–2 overall as the Bison advance to the semifinal round of the conference tournament.
Henderson State controlled much of the first half, taking advantage of early offensive struggles from Oklahoma Baptist. The Reddies shot efficiently and carried a 40-35 lead into halftime while the Bison connected on 37.9 percent of their shots in the opening half. Despite the slow start, OBU kept the game close by making key defensive stops and some threes, including a couple from
Christian Hodge and
Seth Grandberry.
After halftime, the Bison came out with renewed energy and quickly shifted the momentum, erupting for 50 second-half points compared to Henderson State's 30. The offensive surge helped OBU erase a five-point halftime deficit and pull away for a comfortable double-digit victory.
The Bison maintained strong defensive pressure, holding the Reddies to 38.7 percent shooting in the second half, as Henderson connected on 12 of 31 attempts.
Meanwhile, OBU found its rhythm offensively, shooting 57.1 percent from the field in the half, making 16 of 28 shots. The Bison also found success from beyond the arc, knocking down three pointers at a 42.9 percent clip.
Joshua Udoumoh led the Bison with 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists while going 8-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Terry Coner Jr. added 20 points, including 19 in the second half, and four rebounds, helping ignite the second-half run.
Jackson Greene finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Grandberry also contributed 12 points and three rebounds.
Erik Madrid added six points and seven rebounds while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field, and Hodge chipped in nine points and seven rebounds.
Oklahoma Baptist made its mark defensively and on the glass, outrebounding Henderson State 43-37 and forcing 12 turnovers that led to 18 points. The Bison also dominated at the free-throw line, converting 24-of-34 attempts while the Reddies managed just 4-of-16.
With the win, Oklahoma Baptist advances to the Great American Conference Tournament semifinal on Saturday. They'll play either Southern Nazarene or East Central on March 7 at noon.
