Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – SWOSU connected on just nine field goals in the second half and were outscored 34-25 by Arkansas Tech after half, falling to the Wonder Boys 69-65 on Thursday evening at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
SWOSU controlled most of the first half, racing out to a 20-9 lead just over nine minutes into the game on a 3-pointer from
Richard McCalop. Arkansas Tech battled back and went ahead by three, 35-32, with 3:23 to play in the half before SWOSU finished on an 8-0 run, taking a 40-35 lead to the break after a buzzer-beating three from
Martell Collins.
The Bulldogs remained on top early in the second half, pushing a lead back to 10 at 51-41 with 12:52 to play before a 15-5 Wonder Boy run tied the game at 56-56 near the five-minute mark. The level of excitement continued down the stretch with the teams trading 3-pointers until Tyler Friedel hit his third straight triple for ATU, taking a 62-59 lead with under two minutes to play.
Ayo Ojo had a chance to tie the game on a conventional three-point play, but missed the free throw, leaving the Bulldogs down 62-61. ATU scored the next three points, taking a four-point lead before
Trent Washington got the Bulldogs back within one on a three-pointer from the corner. The Wonder Boys got a pair of free throws then fouled
Kenyan Borders, not allowing SWOSU to get a potentially game-tying 3-pointer off and Friedel hit two more free throws to end the game.
"Our guys battled tonight, but we lost this game at the free throw line," SWOSU Coach
Bob Battisti said following the setback. "Give Arkansas Tech credit, they stepped up and made some plays down the stretch that we were unable to match."
SWOSU shot better from the field than Arkansas Tech (37.9% to 34.0%) and outrebounded the Wonder Boys 39-to-37 but connected on just 11-of-21 free throws (52.4%), including 4-of-9 (44.4%) in the second half. The Bulldogs tied a season-high with six blocked shots and committed just turnovers, but it was not enough to earn the season split against ATU.
The Bulldogs, now 11-9, 5-8 GAC on the year, return to action on Saturday, hosting Harding with a 2:00 pm start time at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
