Box Score MONTICELLO, Ark. – After being held scoreless over the final 4:11 of regulation, SWOSU found a way to win in overtime, coming out on top 70-63 against Great American Conference opponent Arkansas-Monticello in the Steelman Field House.
The Bulldogs started off slowly, missing their first eight shots and allowing the Boll Weevils to build a 6-0 lead after four minutes of play.
Kenyan Borders finally got the Dawgs on the board with a shot from long range. SWOSU continued to fight, finally fighting back to a one-point deficit thanks to a 3-point basket by
Richard McCalop and a tip-in by
Oliver Willis. Southwestern finally took the lead thanks to a make from beyond the arc by
Trent Washington to cap the 8-0 run and forcing UAM into a timeout.
Both teams went cold down the stretch, with the two sides combining to shoot 4-30 with 2:24 left to play in the half.
Keyshawn Perkins finally broke up the monotony, draining a 3-pointer with 2:06 remaining.
Emeche Wells recorded the final points of the half on a mid-range jumper at the buzzer, allowing SWOSU to go into the locker room with a 29-21 lead despite shooting just 25 percent from the field.
SWOSU continued to grind it out in the second half, keeping the Boll Weevils at bay. However, UAM went on a 7-0 run over 1:15 to pull within 47-41 with 10:35 remaining in the contest and forcing a SWOSU timeout. Two big 3-pointers and on either side of a
Ayo Ojo block a few minutes later regained SWOSU's ten point cushion with 7:13 remaining.
The Dawgs went cold in the last three minutes, however, with UAM going on an 11-0 run over the final 3:47 of regulation and SWOSU giving up three turnovers in two minutes. Fortune came in the form of the Boll Weevils' Richard Benedyth falling out of bounds after a rebound from a missed
Martell Collins' jumper, giving SWOSU the ball with 55.7 seconds left in regulation and a fresh play clock to set up a dramatic finish.
Borders was twice failed with an opportunity to complete a 1-and-1, but missed the front end twice while up 59-55. Collins then fouled Eli Alexander who went 1-2 from the charity stripe to make it a one possession game. UAM's Jamal Peterson then drained a shot from long range to tie up the game with 11.7 seconds left to give SWOSU a final possession. Head Coach
Bob Battisti then called a timeout with three seconds left to draw up a play for Washington, who saw his 3-point shot bounce off the rim to send the game into overtime.
UAM finally took back the lead for the first time since the first half before Borders made amends for his earlier missed free throws, draining a shot from deep before scoring on a reverse layup to give SWOSU a 65-61 lead with 2:52 left in overtime.
Emeche Wells then threw down a right-handed dunk to make it a two possession game with one minute left. Washington iced the game, going 1-2 from the line as UAM was held scoreless over the final 2:30 of overtime.
Collins finished with game-highs in points (18) and rebounds (16) to record his team-leading ninth double-double of the season. Washington had 12 points and Borders poured in ten to also finish in double digits, while Willis recorded a career-high eight points on 3-5 shooting.
"We had some real toughness to surrender the lead we did and walk out of the arena with a win," said Battisti about the win. "I thought Kenyan was real tough hitting that 3-pointer after missing those free throws earlier. We did a good job covering their shooters late and we found a way to grind it out and win."
SWOSU earned a crucial victory in conference play to move to 4-5 in the GAC and 10-6 overall. They will complete a three-game road swing in Alva, Okla., against in-state rival Northwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday, January 17 at 7:30 PM.
