Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – An untimely foul call with 4.8 seconds to play allowed Northwestern Oklahoma State to shoot two free throws and escape from the Pioneer Cellular Event Center with an 84-82 victory over SWOSU on Monday evening.
Northwestern overwhelmed the Bulldogs from the get-go and led by as many as 21 points in the first half, building a 34-13 lead with 5:33 until halftime. SWOSU gained some momentum over that final five minutes, cutting the deficit to 11 as they went into the locker room trailing 38-27.
SWOSU got six points from
Charles Beauregard, Jr., as part of an 8-0 run to open the second half that got the Bulldogs within three points less than two minutes into the half. The Rangers kept the Dawgs at arm's length until SWOSU went on a 17-3 run to take their first lead of the game at 68-66 on a pair of free throws from
Daniel Eibel with 6:09 to play.
The teams would trade leads down the stretch, with
Jefkins Agyeman-Budu giving SWOSU a 72-70 lead before the Rangers answered with an 8-1 run to regain the lead at 78-73. The Bulldogs faced a four-point deficit, 81-77, with 1:24 to play after a three-pointer by Northwestern, but the Dawgs continued to claw their way back and got the game tied at 82-82 with 22 seconds to play when
Devin Pugh rose above the Ranger defense to knock down a three-pointer.
Without taking a timeout, Northwestern walked the ball up the court and held for one final offensive possession. Brandon Green made his move for the basket with about six seconds to play and tangled his feet with Beauregard, who lost his balance and fell backward due to his own momentum. Despite no body contact being made on the play, the call was a block on Beauregard, who fouled out with 4.8 seconds remaining while Green went to the stripe to shoot his freebies. Green cashed in his free attempts and SWOSU was unable to get off a final attempt after Northwestern recorded a steal.
SWOSU got 24 points from Beauregard and 17 from
Devin Pugh, while the pleasant surprise of the game off the bench in the form of
Jefkins Agyeman-Budu, who recorded his first double-double as a Bulldog with season highs of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
The loss is the second one-possession setback for the Bulldogs in the past three games and it drops SWOSU to 3-12 on the year and 1-8 in Great American Conference action. Next up for the Dawgs is a date with unbeaten and GAC-leading Southern Nazarene, who visits the Pioneer Cellular Event Center on Wednesday evening.
