BETHANY, Okla. – Despite leading for just under 79% of the game, SWOSU Men's Basketball dropped an overtime road game at Southern Nazarene Thursday night, falling by a final score of 79-78.
 
SWOSU had a couple sloppy turnovers early and SNU took advantage, leading 13-9 early in the game. SWOSU responded, going on a 7-0 run taking the lead at 14-13. The game then became a seesaw match for a while, but SWOSU went on a 9-2 run and was ahead 33-26 with 5:30 left in the first half.
 
SWOSU built a 10-point lead with less than two minutes left in the first half. The Crimson Storm came storming back with a minute before halftime, going on a 4-0 run and SWOSU was ahead 39-33 at halftime.
 
SNU scored the first five points of the second half. SWOSU struggled to score and it was tied at 45 with 15 minutes left to play. SWOSU went on a 5-0 run with plays like Bralyn James knocking down a 3-pointer.  SWOSU built a 59-53 advantage with 6:48 left in the second half, but SNU cut the lead to four points with 3:30 left to play. SNU nailed a 3-pointer with 2:25 left to play, making the score 64-62 in SWOSU's advantage.
 
James was fouled and nailed two free throws, making the score 66-62 with 2 minutes left to play. SWOSU got a stop and Chris Braggs Jr. shot a 3-pointer, but was fouled and he got three free throws. He made one and it was now 67-62.
 
Each team got stops and SWOSU had the ball with 15 seconds left. SNU got a stop and SNU buried a 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds left to play, tying the game at 67. Damion Thornton had a look at the buzzer but it was no good, sending this conference thriller into overtime and SWOSU into an extra session for the first time this season.
 
Thornton got a fast start in overtime for the Bulldogs, scoring a layup and being fouled. He knocked it down and SWOSU was ahead 70-67 early. SWOSU got the ball back, forcing a shot clock violation. Thornton nailed a 3-pointer, making it 73-67 with 3:55 left in overtime.
 
SNU, like most of the evening, came storming back, making free throws. SWOSU was ahead 73-71 with three minutes to play. Thornton scored a layup on a second effort, making the score 75-71 with less than three minutes left to play.
 
With 37 seconds left, SWOSU turned the ball over, giving SNU the ball back with a chance to take the lead. With 10.6 seconds to play, SNU scored a layup. Gipson had a spectacular look to tie the game, but he missed and SNU rebounded. SNU was fouled and made both free throws, making it 79-75. Gipson nailed a long 3-pointer, but SWOSU lost 79-78.
 
Thornton had a double double with 24 points and 13 rebounds. James scored 15 points, had eight rebounds and four assists. Khobe Austin-Johnson had four steals. 
 
"We had the game won in regulation and we blew the game," coach Terry Evans said. "We missed way too many free throws and we let their best player beat us. Recently, we have been finding ways to lose games instead of finding ways to win games."
 
With this loss, SWOSU falls to 6-6 and they return to action on Saturday home against Oklahoma Baptist.