Box Score BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – It may have taken overtime, but SWOSU eventually outlasted top-seeded Ouachita Baptist 71-67 in the quarterfinal of the Great American Conference Tournament. It was the first time the No. 8 seed has upset the No. 1 seed in tournament history.
The historic upset was powered by the dynamic senior duo of
Kenyan Borders and
Trent Washington. Both veterans poured in 15 points, and combined for 18 in the second half and overtime. Borders in particular was instrumental down the stretch in the second half, putting to rest a SWOSU dry spell with three straight baskets starting with 4:51 left on the clock and OBU up 53-46.
The Bulldogs started off well, jumping out to a quick 10-2 lead at the first media timeout. Washington and
Emeche Wells paced the Dawgs with seven points apiece in the first half, and held the lead until there was 1:08 left in the frame. The Tigers eventually carried a three point lead into the locker rooms up 33-30.
SWOSU went to work in the second half to try to reclaim the lead. After Borders broke up a scoring drought with just under five minutes to play, the Dawgs finally caught OBU with 26 seconds left. Borders hit one of two free throws before
Martell Collins sank two free throws with two seconds remaining to put SWOSU up 61-59.
With such little time left SWOSU looked to have upset the Tigers, but OBU drew up a play for All-GAC First Team selection Colt Fason. Fason, at first glance, looked to have drained a shot from deep to give the Tigers the victory at the death. Upon further review, however, the shot was only worth two points and the teams were headed to overtime.
The Dawgs seized the lead within the first 30 seconds of overtime thanks to a layup by Borders and never relented down the stretch. SWOSU made their living at the line, shooting nine times from the charity stripe and converting eight of the shots into points.
None were more important than
Oliver Willis' pair of free throws with one second left one the clock. Justin McCleary found an open look from beyond the arc for the Tigers that failed to find the bottom of the basket. With a slim 69-67 lead, Willis rose highest to the ball and came down with the rebound and was fouled for his trouble. Willis went to the stripe and scored on both tries to provide an exclamation mark to the stunning victory.
"That was a very high-level game and it's what March basketball is all about," SWOSU Coach
Bob Battisti said. "We wanted to be the aggressor today and our guys just refused to lose. In a win or go home situation, you have to have players step up and make the plays to win and we did that tonight with our seniors
Kenyan Borders and
Trent Washington leading the way."
All five starters finished in double figures and combined for all but six of SWOSU's points. Collins led the Dawgs on the glass, pulling down eight boards. He also notched a game-high four steals. A suffocating Bulldog defense also held newly minted GAC Player of the Year Tirrell Brown to just eight points over the second half and overtime periods, his last score was with 2:58 left in the second half.
The Bulldogs will play in the GAC semifinal tomorrow night at 8:45 pm against the winner of the quarterfinal featuring No. 4-seed Southeastern Oklahoma State and No. 5-seed Arkansas Tech. It is the third time SWOSU has advanced to the semifinals of the GAC Tournament.
