Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The second-largest crowd to view a SWOSU Basketball game at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center was on hand Saturday as the Bulldogs faced Arkansas Tech on the nationally-televised NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase.
SWOSU built a lead as high as 19 points in the first half, but the Wonder Boys came charging back, hitting eight three-pointers in the second half en route to a 98-87 victory over the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs shot 54.5% (18-33) in the first half, knocking down 7-of-14 (50%) three-pointers to take a 10-point advantage of 49-39 into the locker room. Arkansas Tech hit SWOSU with a burst out of the locker room, using a 13-5 run to make it a two-point game at 54-52 less than four minutes into the second half. The Bulldogs continued to fend off the Wonder Boys for the next few minutes before ATU took their first lead of the game with a pair of free throws at the 9:33 mark.
After giving up the lead, the Bulldogs went cold over the next two minutes while Arkansas Tech's Grant Prusator hit three consecutive three-point attempts to quickly make it a 10-point game in the Wonder Boys favor at 76-66 with 8:01 to play. That left SWOSU playing catchup the rest of the game and the Dawgs got within four points on two occasions but they were unable to close the gap any further.
"There are certain games where you don't look at the scoreboard and you think that both teams deserved to win," SWOSU Head Coach
Bob Battisti said following the game. "Our guys played well and they did everything they needed to win, but Arkansas Tech just made more plays than us in the second half. I liked our balance offensively, it was good to get four players scoring in double figures and I thought
Markeise Champion was solid again while
Devin Pugh and
Nick Shoemaker kept making big shots that gave us a chance to win."
Markeise Champion led the Bulldogs in scoring once again with 24 points and seven rebounds while
Devin Pugh also chipped in 20 points and three rebounds before fouling out.
Nick Shoemaker knocked down four three-pointers and totaled 16 points and
Collin Jennings had a balanced evening with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Dominique Lubin led SWOSU with nine rebounds.
SWOSU (5-13, 2-10 GAC) now heads to Arkansas for the final time this season and they will face Southern Arkansas on Thursday (Feb. 2) before taking on Arkansas-Monticello next Saturday (Feb. 4).
