Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Four players scored in double figures for the Bulldog Men's Basketball team on Saturday, but a pair of potential game-tying field goal attempts rimmed out in the final seconds and Henderson State held on for a 76-73 victory inside the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
SWOSU led for most of the second half, not relinquishing the lead until a three-pointer from Henderson State with 4:59 to play. The Reddies would see that lead grow to five, 68-63, with 4:00 to play before SWOSU countered with an 8-0 run that included an acrobatic spinning layup by
Charles Beauregard, Jr. and gave the Dawgs a 71-68 lead with 1:13 to play following a pair of free throws by
Devin Pugh.
After two free throws by HSU cut it to 71-70 with 1:04 to play, the Reddies stepped up their defensive intensity and recorded steals on back-to-back possessions and converted both into points, quickly taking a 74-71 advantage with 22 seconds to play.
Jerry Hurt got fouled going to the basket on his next possession, hitting two free throws to make it 74-73, but a late runner by Beauregard and a three-point heave by
Devin Pugh at the buzzer were off the mark and the Reddies held on for the win.
SWOSU was led by Beauregard with 19 points while
Daniel Eibel contributed a career-high 16 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting from long range. Hurt added 13 points, hitting all six of his free throw attempts, while Pugh had 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting, with all of his field goal attempts coming from three-point distance. The Bulldogs were again strong at the stripe, knocking down 18-of-21 free throws for an 85.7% clip.
The loss is the third straight setback for the Bulldogs, who fall to 1-3 on the year and open GAC play at 0-2 with their losses by a combined five points. SWOSU concludes a three-game home stand on Tuesday evening against Rogers State at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.
