Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The SWOSU Basketball team finished their showdown with East Central on a 19-2 run, not allowing the Tigers a basket in the final 5:54, to earn a 78-66 victory on Saturday and a season sweep of ECU for the second straight season.
Martell Collins and
Trent Washington combined for 21 first-half points, helping the Bulldogs control the opening period by shooting 45.2% from the field. East Central tied the game at 26-26 at the 5:57 mark of the half, but SWOSU closed that half strong, outscoring ECU 13-6 down the stretch to take a seven-point advantage to the break.
East Central quickly closed the margin, opening the second half with a 10-3 run and tying the game at 42-42 after a free throw by Stirling Thomas. Neither team was able to gain much distance, but Thomas hit a 3-pointer with 6:55 to play that gave the Tigers a five-point advantage at 61-56. The Bulldogs hole was again five, 64-59, after Braxton Reeves hit a three-pointer at the 5:54 mark.
That would be the final basket for ECU after
Kenyan Borders came up with the answer on his only made basket of the game, a three-pointer that got the Bulldogs back within two at the 5:32 mark.
Emeche Wells tied the game at the free throw line before Reeves regained the advantage for the Tigers, 66-64 with 4:38 to play. That lead lasted less than 20 seconds as SWOSU's
Trent Washington came up with another answer in the form of a deep 3-pointer that returned the lead to the home team.
With SWOSU facing a zone defense from East Central and gaining momentum,
Martell Collins found
Richard McCalop for an alley oop that pushed the lead to three, 69-66, and forced the Tigers to call a timeout. Another defensive stop led to free throws for the Bulldogs and
Martell Collins scored four straight points to push the lead to seven at 73-66. Five more free throws for Borders, Collins and
Keyshawn Perkins polished off the win over a top team in the Great American Conference.
"What stands out to me is the advantage we had in rebounding," SWOSU Coach
Bob Battisti said after his team outrebounded ECU 42-24. "One thing we've been searching for in conference play is answer baskets, and our seniors, Trent and Kenyan, hit some big shots down the stretch. I also thought play of
Emeche Wells was key because he stepped up when Ayo got in foul trouble and gave us some big inside baskets."
Wells, coming off the bench for the second straight game after starting the first 17 games of the season, tied with Collins for team-high scoring honors with 17 points. Collins grabbed nine rebounds and Wells had eight, including four offensive boards, helping SWOSU to a 19-6 advantage in second-chance points. Washington hit four big three-pointers and added 14 points while McCalop spent most of his game above the rim with several highlight dunks as part of his 13-point, five-rebound, four-assist effort.
The victory by the Bulldogs snaps a two-game slide and improves SWOSU to 11-8 on the year and 5-7 in league play. The team has two more chances to play in front of the home crowd this upcoming week, starting Thursday night with a 7:30 pm tipoff against Arkansas Tech at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
