Box Score (html)
SHAWNEE, Okla. – Markeise Champion,
Reshardd Harris and
Devin Pugh combined for 59 points to lead the SWOSU Basketball team to an 83-73 win at Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday, snapping a five-game slide for the Bulldogs.
After falling behind 7-3 in the early going, the Bulldogs went on a 13-0 lead to open up a 16-7 lead at the first media timeout and SWOSU would not trail again the rest of the way. The Dawgs built a lead as high as 16, 38-22, in the first half but a barrage of three-pointers from OBU in the final minute cut the lead to 8 at halftime as SWOSU went to the break leading 40-32.
Oklahoma Baptist continued that momentum early in the second half by hitting three's on their first two possessions to make it a two-point game, 40-38, less than one minute into the period. That would be as close as OBU got, however, as
Collin Jennings answered with a jump shot and
Nick Shoemaker hit a corner three to quickly push the lead back to seven points.
From that point on, SWOSU's lead would stay at five points or more until the Bison got within four at 65-61 on a three-pointer from Kevin Franchesi with 8:14 to play, but the Bulldogs senior point guard
Markeise Champion had a quick answer basket with a three of his own that pushed the lead back to seven at 68-61. Champion would help the Dawgs hold off the Bison down the stretch with seven points in the final 2:31 and he finished with a season-high 23 points in the game.
Champion led the way with 23, but three other Bulldogs also reached double figures in scoring.
Reshardd Harris put up 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field while
Devin Pugh had 16 points and five rebounds as well.
Collin Jennings was one rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds that went along with a team-high four assists.
"We were due for a win and I thought we played solid and shot the ball well enough to get a good road victory," SWOSU Head Coach
Bob Battisti said following the contest. "This is a good win for our guys and we can feed off this momentum as we get prepared for another tough game against Harding."
SWOSU improves to 5-11 on the year and 2-8 in Great American Conference play with the victory and the Dawgs now play eight of their final 12 games of the year back at home inside the Pioneer Cellular Event Center. Next up for the Bulldogs is Harding, who comes to town on Thursday evening for a 7:30 pm tip off.
