Box Score (html)
DURANT, Okla. – Four different players connected on multiple three-point attempts while
Martell Collins and
Nick Shoemaker each poured in a career-high in scoring to lead the SWOSU Basketball team to an 89-82 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs hit 17-of-30 (56.7%) from distance and connected on 32-of-61 (52.5%) field goals for their second straight game of shooting 50% or better from the field. SWOSU trailed 47-41 at the break after Southeastern hit nine three-pointers in the first half and led by as many as 11 before going into the locker room up six.
SWOSU scored the first 11 points of the second half as the three-ball kept falling with
Collin Jennings,
Markeise Champion and
Martell Collins scoring the final nine points of that run from the outside. The Bulldogs would lead throughout, having to fight off a Southeastern run that got within two points around the three-minute mark.
Emeche Wells came through with an answer basket, scoring his only two points of the night going to the basket to make it a two possession game, 82-78 with 2:30 to play.
After the Bulldogs got a stop,
Juwan Newmen grabbed his ninth rebound of the night and laid it in to give him 10 points on the night and push the lead back to six and enabled SWOSU to close out the game with Collins at the free throw line. Collins scored his final four points at the stripe to help him finish with 27 points, a new career-high and his third consecutive game with 20 or more points scored.
Several players contributed offensively, with Collins leading the way on 8-of-18 shooting and 5-of-8 shooting from long range. Champion also hit five three-pointers in the game, extending his conference lead in made three's, while Shoemaker had a career-best 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting from deep, including three in the first half as Southeastern threatened to break the game open.
Collin Jennings snapped a seven-game stretch of scoring less than 10 points by hitting three three-pointers of his own and finishing with 11 points and three rebounds. Newmen scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds, coming up one rebound shy of his second straight double-double and third of the season.
Ayo Ojo scored seven points on 3-for-3 shooting, his second consecutive game without missing a field goal.
Emeche Wells was limited to two points, but did dish out a career-high eight assists.
"I thought our guys started playing with some confidence and we hit some big answer baskets in the first half that kept us close," SWOSU Head Coach
Bob Battisti said following the game. "We've got a good group of guys who have bought in and they believe and I think we're starting to find our true identity. It was good to get a win tonight but it's time to focus on Oklahoma Baptist."
The victory is the second straight for the Bulldogs, who improve to 10-6 on the year and 6-4 in GAC play with one game left before the midway point of the conference season. SWOSU is back at home on Saturday at 2:00 pm, facing in-state rival and newcomer of the Great American Conference, Oklahoma Baptist, at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
